Archives for the month of: February, 2016
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Carol Burris Invites You to NPE Conference in Raleigh in April

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2016 //
0

Dear Friends,

This year’s Network for Public Education Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 16-17 will be a unique opportunity to show a strong and united front in the battle to promote and defend our public schools.

We’ll hear from exciting keynote speakers such as NPE Founder Diane Ravitch, the Rev. William Barber, and Bob Herbert. Workshops will be run by activists doing the work as we address our theme: And Justice for All: Strengthening Public Education for Each Child.

If you have not registered, please do so now while our Early Bird special is still on. Register here.

Do you need financial help in order to attend? Apply for our limited scholarships here.

If you cannot attend make a tax deductible donation to our scholarship fund here. Just scroll down to sponsor an advocate.

Do you want to present a workshop? We would love to hear your idea. To apply to present go here.

Diane needs you. Public Education needs you. And most important of all, our students need you.

Visit our new website and join our new Facebook page. Make a tax deductible donation. Get a friend to join NPE. We have exciting plans for 2016 as we continue to fight for public education. But we cannot succeed without your help.

Thanks for all you do and I hope to see you in Raleigh!

Carol

Categories Network for Public Education, Resistance

New Mexico: Charters Get Same Results But Cost More

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2016 //
14

A state study of charter school performance in New Mexico concluded that the privately managed schools cost more and get the same results.
“Rapidly expanding charter schools in New Mexico are spending more per student with similar academic results to traditional public schools, state program analysts told lawmakers on Monday.

 

“The evaluation by staff at New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee warned that charter schools are diluting the amount of funds available at all schools, as charter schools continue to be authorized independently of the state’s budget process.

 

“The study found that charter school students received $8,663 per student, while traditional district schools received $7,597, during the budget year ending June 2015. New Mexico’s charter schools have received nearly half of school funding increases since mid-2007, while serving about 7 percent of all students, the report said.

 

“Presenting the findings to lawmakers, program evaluator Yann Lussiez said state-authorized charter schools with the highest grades tended to have the lowest percentage of economically disadvantaged students….

 

 

Matthew Pahl, policy director for the department, said greater administrative oversight is planned.

 

“We’re working at hiring an auditor that just looks at charter schools right now in recognition the fact that there should probably be some more oversight,” he said.

 

“The Legislative Finance Committee agreed to sponsor legislation that would prevent double funding of certain students at charter schools under a formula that recognizes rapid enrollment increases. The committee also supports a bill to avoid overfunding of transportation at charter schools….

 

New Mexico had 97 charter schools serving about 22,000 students last year, up from 59 in 2010 and just two in 2000. That steady growth mimics the growth of nationwide attendance at charter schools, which surpasses 2.5 million students.

 

“The state evaluation raised specific concerns about costs and performance at so-called virtual charter schools that provide remote online courses. New Mexico has two virtual schools — New Mexico Connections Academy and New Mexico Virtual Academy — that both have ties to for-profit organizations.

 

“The virtual schools have an average of 41 students per teacher with much greater demands on middle and high school teachers, and did not provide expected saving on infrastructure costs. The evaluation recommended the creation of new statutory requirements for funding and student achievement at virtual schools.”

 

Categories Charter Schools, Education Reform, Funding, New Mexico

Ed Berger: The Robber Barons of Arizona

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2016 //
13

Edward F. Berger is a champion for children and public schools in Arizona. He writes in this essay that the state is controlled by a tiny claque of very wealthy people who want to starve the public sector. This small minority is well-organized and well-funded. Berger compares them to the Robber Barons of the 19th century whose goals were money and power.

 

Berger writes:

 

Arizona is run by a well-organized minority. They work to undermine and control representative democracy, elected boards and officials, public schools, environmental regulations, any law that limits the powers of corporations, and interference in their affairs by The People. They believe in the right to rape, rip and run for personal gain while demanding free and unregulated access to natural and national resources. They attack workers’ organizations, associations and unions, taxes on individual wealth, and laws that hold individuals responsible for activities that damage others, the planet, and a sustainable future….

 

Fred Koch, father of the infamous Koch brothers, created a powerful empire. He had an ideology of freedom from government intervention that his sons inherited.

 

Berger writes:

 

Fred was a founder of the John Birch Society, a movement based on:The destruction of public education, the privatization (control) of prisons, racial inequality, and denial of workers’ rights to organize. He was able to inculcate two of his sons (Charles and David Koch) to believe that they are the rightful heirs of his mission and will determine the future of America.

 

When the John Birch Society gained disrepute, they dropped that name and formed dozens of subversive* organizations. The largest in the US and Arizona is the American Legislative Executive Council (ALEC). If your elected representative is a member of ALEC, be afraid and get them gone! Another is the Goldwater Institute. The corporate leadership of Arizona Public Service (APS) and its holding company, Pinnacle West Capital corporation, is deeply involved with the Koch-ALEC-Goldwater Institute politicians. One can not underestimate the subversive work of the Goldwater Institute (a false 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization) with a purely political agenda. Through its minions, the legislators and governors placed in office by the power of this minority, they were recently able to place a Goldwater Institute lawyer on the Supreme Court of Arizona. As an example of their reach, in 2015 the Goldwater Institute filed suit in far off Massachusetts to challenge that state’s ban on corporate contributions to political candidates. A stated goal of the Goldwater Institute is to support charter schools and vouchers. They lead the pack of active and disruptive organizations working in the state sowing, cultural division, anti-teacher, anti-education, anti-unions, and pro-corporations movements….

 

Most of the members of the state legislature are in the Koch-ALEC-Goldwater Institute pocket , or they are forced to cooperate with the extreme right to keep from being ostracized and rendered ineffective for their constituents. Voters are discouraged from voting. It looks like Governor Doug Ducey is being groomed to take on the work of Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who followed the Koch dictates to his ruin. The governors and legislators in many states are being placed by the Koch-ALEC machine. They have used gerrymandering and control of the primaries to ensure that key members of the republican right do not have to fear re-election. The Koch-ALEC machine has made inroads into the US Chamber Of Commerce, and the United States Supreme Court, forcing rulings like Citizens United….

 

Public education in the state of Arizona is being systematically dis-mantled.The budget is being used to starve and destroy public schools, and to privatize every aspect of government to gain access to, and profit from, our tax dollars. Public school financing, and thus education programs, have been arbitrarily cut and then reinstated at a fraction of what they need to operate. Governor Ducey plays a game of ‘cut deep and then give a little back,’ so he can brag about his support, while starving and destroying the state’s public schools, universities, and service sectors. His agenda is not for the children and families of Arizona, it is for a small, well-organized minority. He is trying to prove to his masters that he can be the new Scott Walker or Rick Snyder and he can make Arizona go the way of Wisconsin and Michigan.

 

This is not what the people of Arizona want, writes Berger, but the grip of the plutocracy is so tight that people have given up the power of democracy. Less than 40% turn out to vote.

 

Berger remains hopeful. He thinks the time is approaching when the people of Arizona elect a government that serves them, not the Robber Barons.

 

 

 

 

Categories ALEC, Arizona, Billionaires, Democracy, Education Reform

Researcher: Excessive Exposure to Wireless Radiation Harms Children’s Brains

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2016 //
14

Roxana Marachi, professor of education at San Jose State University in California, recently testified at a public hearing on ESSA about the dangers to children of excessive exposure to wireless radiation. She also expressed concern about the invalidity of the assessments now in use:

 

She wrote:

 

My letters outline grave concerns regarding unfair test administrations, security and privacy issues related to test data, violations of students’ rights, delivery of the tests on faulty networks and technology, and long-term motivational problems that are likely to result from misdiagnosing students with assessments unfit for use. In the medical community, such practices would constitute fraud.

 

Professor Marachi cites the latest scientific research about the effects of wireless radiation:

 

As of December 1st, two hundred seventeen scientists from forty nations have signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal. All have published peer-reviewed research on electromagnetic fields (EMF) and biology or health. The petition calls on the United Nations, the UN member states, and the World Health Organization (WHO) to adopt more protective exposure guidelines for EMF and wireless technology in the face of increasing evidence of health risks.

 

The scientists cite a 2011 study which documents how the industry-designed process for evaluating microwave radiation from phones results in children absorbing twice the radiation to their heads, up to triple in their brain’s hippocampus and hypothalamus, greater absorption in their eyes, and as much as 10 times more in their bone marrow when compared to adults.

Categories Technology

Tennessee Legislator and Wife Opt Their Child Out of State Testing

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2016 //
33

Rep. Mike Stewart and his wife Ruth decided to opt their child out of state testing. The MommaBears of Tennessee were overjoyed. Tennessee has no law permitting opt out. The MammaBears hope that the Stewart’s decision will make the voices of other parents heard by state officials.

 

 

This is the letter that Ruth Stewart sent to the school and made public:

 

 

Please accept this letter as a record of my decision to refuse for (name redacted for privacy) to participate in TN Ready/TnReady TCAP test and pretests at (school name redacted for privacy) for the remaining school year. My refusal to allow (child’s name) to participate is because I believe standardized high stakes testing take away time from the instructional experiences my child might otherwise receive. I want more teaching and learning, and less testing! I am aware that there is no “opt out” clause in the state of Tennessee. But the state has yet to provide any legal documentation that my child may not exercise his or her right to refuse the tests.

 

I understand that it is state and local policy to require all students to are to be evaluated for proficiency in various subject areas at each grade level. However, I believe that testing is not synonymous with standardized testing and request that the school and my child’s teacher(s) evaluate her progress using alternative measures including project-based assignments, teacher-made tests, portfolios, and performance-based assessments.

 

(Child’s name) is prepared to come to school every day during the testing window with alternative meaningful, self-directed learning activities that support the essential curriculum, or is willing to participate in other meaningful activities as determined by the school or her teachers during testing times. Please let me know beforehand what I can expect as far as instructional experiences (child’s name) will experience during testing windows. I am happy to develop material for her if the teachers believe this is appropriate. I have a tremendous respect for (child’s name)’s teachers and her school. My issue is with frequent high-stakes standardized testing and the harm it does to children, teachers, and our public schools.

 

 

Respectfully yours,
Ruth Stewart

Categories Opt Out, Tennessee, Testing

CTU Rejects Contract Offer, Takes Action 

By dianeravitch
February 2, 2016 //
12

 

Yesterday, the Chicago Teachers Union rejected the city’s contract offer. This is the CTU explanation:

CHICAGO – After much deliberation, the Chicago Teachers Union has rejected the Board of Education’s most recent contract proposal because it does not address the difficult conditions in the schools, the lack of services to our neediest students or address the long-term fiscal crisis that threatens to gut public education in the city. Moreover, educators do not believe the Board will honor its promises because it has lacked the will to join with parents, students, community and others in identifying existing revenue solutions that can stabilize the district.

“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) challenges are a revenue-based problem because two of the three biggest cost drivers are things that have to be paid: pensions and debt service (which includes the swap termination payments),” said CTU President Karen Lewis. “The third biggest cost driver is charter school proliferation—and though they’ve promised to halt charter expansion there is a state commission that can override their decision. There are no guarantees.”

Lewis said CTU members have given more than $2 billion back to the district over the last five years, including $500 million from the 4 percent raise that was rescinded in 2011; $500 million from layoffs over this period, including from the school closings; and $1.2 billion from the three- year partial pension holiday between 2011 to 2013.

 

“Simply signing a contract with CPS will not bring them a windfall of resources from the state,” Lewis said. “We have to exhaust every option available, which includes terminating those swap deals, returning the TIFs to the schools and a financial transaction tax that could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the city. Without some real movement on the revenue problems, we can’t trust that they will honor any words offered in a four-year contract deal.”

It should be noted that the CPS bond sale went south last week because investors are skittish about the real financial challenges the district faces. The downgrades came after investors’ concerns about the city’s inability to raise revenue. Also, the district is using short-term credit lines to manage cash flow because its cash flow is so limited. The money from property taxes is already spent – those short-term lines have to be repaid.

“CPS has been living on borrowing for too long,” said CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey. “Now to turn around and blame teachers and staff for that debt while letting bankers off the hook is not acceptable. We think bankruptcy is a bluff, but if it isn’t, the mayor and his handpicked school board need to examine our commitments to progressive revenue.”
CPS’ uses this math to plug its budget hole:

· $200 million from the state for pensions
· $150 million from the state in a school aid formula change
· $170 million from a new local property tax levy for pensions
· $150 to $175 million from eliminating the teacher’s pension pickup and from increased healthcare costs.

“That’s about $700 million of the claimed $800 million deficit,” said Sharkey. “They want us to foot two chunks of that through property tax increases and classrooms cuts. We need a big fix to school funding at the state level through progressive taxes on wealthy people. The Board cannot continue to balance its budget on teachers and students by cutting our compensation and eliminating vital education services such as special education.”

 

Today, CTU took action to protest the city’s actions:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin
Feb. 2, 2016 312-329-6250

 

CTU to close Bank of America account and challenge City of Chicago and CPS to do the same

News conference and action at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday

 

CHICAGO – The day after the Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool declared war on public school educators by threatening another $100 million in classroom cuts and the snatching of their pension pick-up benefit, the Chicago Teachers Union will engage in a series of non-violent direct actions to call attention to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s refusal to explore every revenue option available to him to stabilize the school district. Instead of working with the CTU to return toxic swap payments, tax the wealthy and restore the TIFS to the school district, the mayor would rather have Governor Bruce Rauner send in the Illinois National Guard to take over CPS.

WHO:
CTU Officers; toxic swap experts; community allies and others
WHAT:
Will close its account with Bank of America in the amount of over $700,000 and redirect those monies to Amalgamated Bank
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
10:00 a.m.
WHERE:
Bank of America

35 S. LaSalle Street, Chicago
WHY:
Bank of America and other financial institutions that sold CPS toxic interest rate swaps are demanding a payout of at least $228 million, which is almost the exact same amount as the recent cuts enacted by the Board to our schools and special education at the same time. In total, the City and CPS is expecting to lose $1.2 billion on the swaps. CTU has asked the Board to be a partner in challenging these rip off, toxic swap deals for years.

 

###

 

 

Categories Budget Cuts, Chicago, Education Reform, Funding

The NPE 50-State Report Card on “Valuing Public Education”

By dianeravitch
February 2, 2016 //
32

Here is the report. See how your state did. We judged states by their support for research-based policies that help children and public education. 

Categories Education Reform

Detroit Schools’ Emergency Manager Resigns

By dianeravitch
February 2, 2016 //
35

Darnell Earley, emergency manager of Detroit’s public schools resigned. 
Most recently, he was emergency manager of Flint when the water source was switched from safe to polluted. 

The Detroit Federation of Teachers issued the following statement:

“Detroit Federation of Teachers on Resignation of Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Darnell Earley

 

DETROIT—A statement from Ivy Bailey, interim president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, on Darnell Earley’s decision to step down as emergency manager of the Detroit Public Schools.

“Emergency Manager Darnell Earley has abdicated his role and responsibilities as overseer of the Detroit Public Schools. As emergency manager, Earley has shown a willful and deliberate indifference to our schools’ increasingly unsafe and unhealthy conditions, and a blatant disrespect for the teachers, school employees, parents and students of our city.
“His departure, which the Detroit Federation of Teachers, parents and the community have called for, is a step in the right direction. For nearly seven years, DPS has been controlled by four state-appointed emergency managers. They have created both a fiscal and a moral crisis, running up a $515 million debt, running down the physical conditions of our schools, and forcing educators to bear the brunt of the problems with fewer resources and more benefit cuts.
“Earley’s resignation presents a perfect opportunity for state officials in Lansing to pay off the debt their appointed managers have created and return the Detroit Public Schools to local control. Appointing another emergency manager won’t fix Detroit’s education crisis. Now is the time for DPS to have an elected school board that answers to the people of this great city.”

# # #

Categories Detroit, Education Reform

Bill Gates Still Throwing Millions into Promoting Common Core

By dianeravitch
February 2, 2016 //
38

Valerie Straus reports that Bill Gates continues to pour millions of dollars into organizations that might persuade people to like the Common Core. Usually when a product or service gets good word of mouth, it takes off. Unfortunately for Gates, who has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in establishing national standards, a national curriculum, and national testing, the public is not buying.

 

This past year, Gates expended another $42 million trying to buy friends for his standards. You might be surprised by some of the recipients.

 

Here are a few:

 

Editorial Projects in Education, which sponsors Education Week: $100,000

 

National Writing Project: $1.6 million

 

National Congress of Parents and Teachers: $1 million

 

The Boston Foundation: $150,000

 

There are many more. Someone should tell Bill, “Money can’t buy you love.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories Common Core, Corporate Reform, Education Reform, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates

New York: How Pearson Rips Off Teacher Candidates

By dianeravitch
February 2, 2016 //
23

Jamie Dangler of United University Professions informed me that her association had filed a Freedom of Information Act request for Pearson’s contract to assess incoming teachers. The initial response was a copy of a contract that was 75% redacted. They tried again and most of the redactions were gone.  They were shocked to learn that the state pays Pearson nothing to develop or administer the exams; Pearson profits when students fail and take the exam repeatedly.

She writes:

“We received a nearly clean copy of the New York State Education Department’s teacher certification exam contract with Pearson, Inc.

 
“It wasn’t easy to get. We filed a FOIL request that initially produced a copy of the contract that was nearly 75 percent blacked out. We appealed and then began to pursue legal action. We finally got a copy with less than 3 pages blacked out.
“Here’s a major problem we are concerned about and legislation we’re proposing to address it.

 
“The Pearson contract reveals that New York State did not pay Pearson to develop and administer its teacher certification exams. Instead, all of Pearson’s payment and profits are made from student exam fees. This means Pearson has little incentive to fix flawed exams, since they profit when students take and retake their exams. We have four new teacher certification requirements in New York State administered by Pearson. One of them is the edTPA and the others are exams. There are many content and computer format problems with the exams and lots of problems with the edTPA. Students can spend up to $1,000 or more to take and retake these exams.

 
“As part of our 2016 NYS legislative initiatives, UUP is calling for a change in the state’s procurement law that would stop Pearson and other for-profit testing companies from making a profit off of teacher candidates by charging—and recharging—them fees to take mandatory exams.

 
“Here’s a link to a story about this on our website: http://uupinfo.org/communications/uupdate/1516/160126.php
“Here’s a link to the Pearson contract: http://uupinfo.org/committees/pdf/teached/NCSPearsonContractDec2015.pdf

Jamie Dangler, PhD

Vice President for Academics

Teacher Education Task Force chair

United University Professions

Categories Education Reform
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