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Showdown at the Walmart Corral!

By dianeravitch
March 18, 2015 //
14

A few weeks ago, someone challenged Mercedes Schneider to come clean about who was paying her to write her blogs, and she did. No one.

 

Then a few days ago, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Arkansas said in a catty tone on a Facebook page that if anyone were to dig deep enough, they would see that Mercedes is funded by union money.

 

That got Mercedes ticked off, so she wrote a response.

 

The exchange was picked up by Max Brantley, the blogger in Little Rock who fearlessly challenges the Waltons’ financial purchase of almost everything in Arkansas except him. The comments on his post are very funny. The Waltons may be buying the state but they are purchasing a whole lot of unhappy folks.

Categories Arkansas, Funding, Walton Foundation

Breaking News! Waltons Lose in Effort to Privatize Little Rock School District!

By dianeravitch
March 17, 2015 //
25

Great  news! Max Brantley reports that the bill to privatize the Little Rock School District was withdrawn and will not be introduced again in this session of the Arkansas legislature.  The lobbyists pushing the bill were all connected to the powerful multi-billionaire Walton family, and many people thought their victory was a foregone conclusion. (See this post and this post for details.)

 

Brantley writes:

 

The rally in opposition to the bill at the Capitol tonight turned into a victory party.

 

Here’s Ross’ take on the decision:”We hear there was pressure from the Walton family who are tired of the bad press.”

 

Indeed. And it will be complicated when plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the state’s takeover of the district — which would provided a speedway to privatization under the proposed law — begin questioning subpoenaed witnesses about their ties to the Waltons and others that have invested big money in wanting to see the district heavily charterized.

 

The public outcry was vital in this defeat, if Cozart can be trusted. I suspect even more vital was the entry of the PTA, the School Boards Association and, particularly, the school superintendents, in the fight. What was about to happen to Little Rock could happen to anyone — a loss of school boards, an expropriation of local property tax millage, the required surrender of facilities for no charge.

 

There are important lessons to be learned here. The Waltons apparently got “tired of the bad press.” Public outcry was vital. The supporters of public education rallied. The public interest beat the Waltons. Don’t forget those lessons!

Categories Arkansas, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Reform, Privatization, Walton Foundation

The Waltons Buy a School District and a State Board of Education

By dianeravitch
March 16, 2015 //
90

Who knew that being a billionaire would enable you and your family to buy an entire school district and even the state board of education? It isn’t that difficult, if you have enough money. Do we live in an oligarchy?

 

This letter was published in response to Max Brantley’s article (posted this morning) about the Walton takeover of the Little Rock School District. I am posting it here not because it is Little Rock but because it could be your city, your state.

 

#WAL-MART BUYS A SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

#WAL-MART BUYS A STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

August 14, 2014 Wal-Mart and The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation bought a partnership allegiance and loyalty from the Arkansas Department of Education through a partnership because of their $325,000,000 in contributions and payments to various organizations (http://www.arkansased.org/public/userfiles… ). This with Lobbyist Gary Newton, nephew of ADE Board member Diane Zook (Arkansas Learns/Lobbyist #142 on Arkansas Secretary of State Registered Lobbyist Report: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/Docu… paved the way for the Arkansas State Board of Education to be bought.

 

Below are the Arkansas State Education Board members that voted for the State Takeover of the Little Rock School District. All of their affiliated organizations are funded by Wal-Mart(Walton Family Foundation) and/or The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. It is obvious that these powerful organizations had influence, voting power, and now control. Their goal is to seize control of local school boards and privatize education. After viewing their affiliations, look at the Forward Arkansas Steering Committee that they put together to dictate where local funds should go. This is the epitome of BIG BUSINESS privatizing local funds.

 

These are the members that voted for a state takeover of a School District with 6 of 48 schools in academic distress. Wal-Mart/Rockefeller Connection are as follows:
· Toyce Newton, Phoenix Youth & Family Services Inc.
o Member of the Arkansas State Board of Education
o Former Chair of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board (The same Foundation that the board selected to run the LRSD http://www.phoenixyouth.com/about.html
· Vicki Saviers, “She was selected to State Board of Education because of her volunteering and charity.
o Member of the Arkansas State Board of Education
o Member of the Advisory Board for the UA Office for Education Policy
o “The district will be forced to make many difficult decisions in the future, including the removal of staff and closing of schools,” said board member Vicki Saviers, who submitted the takeover motion. (USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/… )
· Diane Zook, Aunt Gary Newton (Head of the Wal-Mart funded Lobby Group, Arkansas Learns.
o Member of the Arkansas State Board of Education
o https://dianeravitch.net/2015/01/29/arkansa…
o http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archi…

 

· Kim Davis, Board Member, Arkansas State Board of Education
o Employment is funded by Wal-mart, Sam’s Club, Tyson, and The Walton Family Foundation http://www.nwacouncil.org/pages/about-us/
o Arkansas State Board of Education Member
o Voted for State Takeover of LRSD (Conflict of Interest?)
o Member of Forward Arkansas Steering Committee (How can he vote for a takeover and have influence on where LRSD funds will be spent?)
o http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archi…
On October 18, 2004 Gary Newton (Arkansas Learns) created a Corporation (Arkansans for Education Reform Foundation) along with Glenn Borkowski, Luther Gordy, William Dillard, Clairborne Deming, Walter Hussman, and (of course…) Jim Walton. (Print media Note)Why does Cynthia Howell with the Dem Gazette reference Gary Newton like he is not a PAID LOBBYIST. Link: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corps/search_c…

 

#WAL-MART BUYS A SCHOOL DISTRICT through FORWARD ARKANSAS (will they be the “non-profit” that will run the district)? WOW! Look at the connections!

 

Below is the Steering Committee for The Forward Arkansas Initiative. According to the Forward Arkansas Website (http://www.forwardarkansas.org/forward-tea…) “The steering committee is made up of education, business, government and civil society leaders who share a common goal: improving education in all four corners of the state”. However, they failed to mention, they also share another common bond… Most of their organizations are funded by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and/or the Walton Family Foundation (Wal-Mart). Additionally, four of the five Arkansas Board of Education members that voted to takeover the Little Rock School District are part of organizations that are funded by The Wal-Mart (Walton Family Foundation) or The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. This is a direct conflict of interest. There are NO classroom educators from the LRSD on the Committee and they will face NO OVERSITE or local control. This steering committee is now in control of dictating the future of the LRSD.

 

Jared Henderson, Project manager for the Forward Arkansas Initiative
• Sole person designing Education in the LRSD
• Bio: http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/people/lis…
• He is not from Little Rock?
• Former Senior Vice President for Teach for America
• Teach for America Delta received $4,000,000 from The Walton Family Foundation (link: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou… )
• Teach for America Builds facility in Helena-West Helena (first in nation. could this experiment happen in Little Rock? What happens to teachers not part of this network?): http://www.helena-arkansas.com/article/201…
• Holds an undergraduate degree from UA-Fayetteville in Computer Science and Physics?
• He has never taught in the LRSD
• Served on Board of AR Kids Read
• Look at the Sponsors: http://arkidsread.org/sponsors/ (The majority of the contributors have a representative in the Forward Arkansas Steering Committee. This is NOT DIVERSITY and this DOES NOT INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY)
• $10,000 + contributors include: Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Fifty for the Future, Arkansas United Way, and Entergy
• $5,000-$9,999 contributors include: Arvest (Wal-Mart Bank), Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, J.A. Riggs Tractor Company
•

 

Shane Broadway, Director, Arkansas Department of Higher Education
• Member, Benton Chamber of Commerce, present
• Board Member, Bryant Boys and Girls Club, present
• Member, Bryant Chamber of Commerce, present
• Board Member, Central Arkansas Development Council, present
• Member, Entrepreneurial Advisory Committee, Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges
• Board Member, Quality Teaching and Learning Centers, present

 

Toby Daughterey, Lead Recruiter and Outreach Coordinator, The STAND Foundation
• Significant Funding from the Rockefeller Foundation: http://70-40-216-95.bluehost.com/grants/re…

 

Kim Davis, Board Member, Arkansas State Board of Education
• Employment is funded by Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Tyson, and The Walton Family Foundation
• http://www.nwacouncil.org/pages/about-us/
• Arkansas State Board of Education Member
• Voted for State Takeover of LRSD (Conflict of Interest?)

 

Bill Dillard III, Vice President, Dillard’s Inc.
• http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archi…
• Serves on the board at eStem Public Charter Schools
• Serves on the board at The Arkansas Education Reform Foundation (received $7,000,000 from the Walton Family Foundation, link: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou… )

 

Marcy Doderer, President and CEO, Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock

 

Matt Dozier, President and CEO, Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) Initiative Bob
• February 2, 2015 EAST received $35K from the Rockefeller’s: http://www.eastinitiative.org/newsopportun…
• Significant Wal-Mart funding: http://www.eastinitiative.org/
• Significant Wal-Mart funding: http://www.eastinitiative.org/newsopportun…
• Significant Wal-Mart funding: http://www.eastinitiative.org/newsopportun…

 

Bob East, Co-Founder, East-Harding Inc.
• Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce

 

Joyce Elliot, Arkansas State Senator
• Chairman, Joint Budget Committee (JBC) – Peer Review
• Chairman, Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)-Higher Education Subcommittee
• Chairman, Vision 2025 Legislative Commission on the Future of Higher Education
• Chairman, Whole Child-Whole Community Program
• Chairman, Arkansas comprehensive School Improvement Plans

 

Melanie Fox, Co-Founder, J&M Foods
• The Anthony School Board of Trustees: http://www.anthonyschool.org/BoardofTruste…
• What makes her qualified?

 

Diana Gonzales Worthen, Director, Project RISE at University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
• Conducted Study funded through the Rockefeller Foundation

 

Lavina Grandon, Founder and President, Rural Community Alliance
• A partner Organization of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
• Links: http://thenewrural.org/?x=0&y=0&s=rockefel…

 

Tom Kimbrell, Superintendent, Bryant Public Schools
• http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2015/feb/04/…

 

Ginny Kurrus, Former State President, Arkansas PTA
• http://www.usgbcar.org/about-us/staff/
• Rockefeller connection: http://www.woodlandsedge.com/winthrop-poin…
• Member of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce

 

Michele Linch, Executive Director, Arkansas State Teachers Association
• http://www.astapro.org/index.php/contact-u…
• Former Director of Arkansas Leadership Academy’s Teacher Leadership Institute (Viki Saviers, who supported LRSD State takeover is on the board of this organization)

 

Hugh McDonald, President and CEO, Entergy Arkansas Inc.
• Arkansas Chamber of Commerce member
• Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce Member
• Arkansas Research Alliance Board member (Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board Member Jerry Adams is the President of the Arkansas Research Alliance, link: http://www.wrfoundation.org/who-we-are/lea…)

 

Justin Minkel, Elementary School Teacher, Jones Elementary School in Springdale
• Teach for America alumnus
• Page 23 Teach for America Link: http://files.givewell.org/files/unitedstat…
• Walton Family gives $49,000,000 (estimated $100,000,000 by now) to Teach for America: http://waltonfamilyfoundation.org/mediacen…
• Springdale, Arkansas Teacher

 

David Rainey, Assistant State Director, JBHM Education Group
• Bio: http://stc.arkansas.gov/itleaders/stcmembe…
• Jackson, MS Article: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2009/…

 

John Riggs IV, President, J.A. Riggs Tractor Company

 

Scott Shirey, Founder and Executive Director, KIPP Delta Public Schools
• KIPP: Delta’s significant contributions include the following:
• Walton Family Foundation $100,000+
• Helena Public Facilities Board $25,000—$99,000 (why is public funding privately ran entities)
• Wal-Mart Stores $10,000+
• Mr. and Mrs. Randy Zook $1,000-$4,999
• Mr. Garry Newton
• An additional $8,800,000 from the Walton Family Foundation according the 2013 Grant Report http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou…
• KIPP Delta School Directors (Principals) ALL come from teach for America (They have do not have the same Teaching Certificate Requirements as required by the state. Link: http://www.kippdelta.org/our-leadership-te…
• Walton Family gives $49,000,000 (estimated $100,000,000 by now) to Teach for America: http://waltonfamilyfoundation.org/mediacen…
• Look at the Privatized District: http://www.kippdelta.org/our-team-staff-di…
• No Community Input/No Accountability/No Diversity in Leadership
• Board of Directors Chair is the husband of member of the Arkansas State Board of Education that voted for LRSD takeover. Link: http://www.kippdelta.org/board-directors Link: http://www.arkansased.org/state-board/memb…

 

Ray Simon, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
• Member of the B & D Educational Consulting team (Washington DC) Link: http://www.faegrebdc.com/18052
• This firm also specializes in K-12 Education Consulting. The first line item on K-12 Education Consulting page offers strategies on TERMINATION OF TENURED and TENURED-TRACK EMPLOYEES. Link: http://www.faegrebd.com/K-12-Education

 

Kathy Smith, Senior Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation
• The K-12 Education link on the Walton Family Foundation promotes PUBLIC CHARTERS (meaning the public will pay for the creation of private schools. The schools and administration are not accountable to anyone. NO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT because it is private, but they will spend public funds. Additionally, these schools will most likely be ran by TEACH FOR AMERICA, not LRSD teachers that live and have a vested interest in the community. Who will get the food service contract? who will get facilities contracts? Who will be on vendor list? Who ensures equitability? Who will you see in the community advocating for students and parents? Link: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/gran…
• Article “The Walton’s want to Fix Public Education in America” link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakroll/201…
• Look at the Walton Family Foundation 2013 Grant Report. They invested $14,500,000 in a non profit investing firm that specializes in investing in Charter School Operations (Charter Funds Inc.!!!! http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/p… )
• Walton Family Foundation 2013 Grant Report http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou…

 

LaDonna Spain, School Improvement Specialist, Arkansas Department of Education
• link: http://arkansas-employees.findthedata.com/…
• Served as Gifted and Talented and Advanced Placement Coordinator in the McGehee School District
• Taught in the Tiller School District
• Taught in Delta Special School District
• Taught in McGehee School District

 

Bob Watson, Former Superintendent, El Dorado Public Schools
• Board Member of Economics Arkansas. Link: http://www.economicsarkansas.org/about_us/…
• Economics Arkansas has received significant contributions from the following:
• Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Foundation, Bentonville, AR
• Walton Family Foundation, Bentonville, AR

 

Sherece West-Scantlebury, President and CEO, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
• Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board, link: http://www.wrfoundation.org/who-we-are/lea…
• Board Member Vicki Saviers also serves on the Arkansas Board of Education (Is it a conflict of interest to vote to have the LRSD dissolve and serve on the Board of the entity that will dictate its fate?)
• GREAT LINK: http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2015/01…
• previously served as CEO at the Foundation for Louisiana

 

Darrin Williams, CEO, Southern Bancorp Inc.
• link: https://banksouthern.com/news/southern-ban…
• Southern Bank Corp received $1.6 million from Walton Family Foundation (link: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou… )

 

Kenya Williams, Co-Chair, Strong-Community Leadership Alliance
• Key Partners with the Leadership Alliance…of course Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, link: http://arpanel.org/coalitions/opportunity-…

 

 

Questions:

1. Has there been lessons learned from other school districts that have been taken over by the state?
2. How will citizens of Little Rock have a valued voice if they are not part of Wal-Mart of or the Rockefellers?
3. What will keep citizens from being disenfranchised?
4. Who is in control of transparency…Wal-Mart?
5. If the citizens of the community do not like the direction that the state is taken, how can they gain back control?
6. With the Superintendent and the Education Commissioner in charge, who can citizens turn to for “due process hearings”, local concerns?
7. If the powers that be decide to close a school in a non-valued neighborhood…Who do they turn to?
8. What kinds of accountability will the state be held to?
9. Arkansas Forward is promoting online surveys… How will concern citizens provide input if they don’t have a computer, car, sight, and does this comply with ADA.
10. It appears that Wal-Mart is investing heavily in Teach for America, how will teachers who are certified through the state compete with privately ran schools?
11. As noted, in 2013, Wal-Mart invested $14,500,000 in Charter Fund, Inc., http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/abou… and http://chartergrowthfund.org/invest-with-u… . These are Private Equity Funds that yield returns based on profits. It appears Wal-Mart just bought a School District.

 

 

 

 

Categories Arkansas, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Walton Foundation

Max Brantley: Follow the Walton Money in Arkansas

By dianeravitch
March 16, 2015 //
10

Max Brantley, regular columnist for the Arkansas Times, tells the sorry tale of the likely Walton takeover of the Little Rock school district. Read here and here.

 

Six of Little Rock’s 48 public schools have low test scores. Instead of bringing help to those needy schools, Walton-funded lobbyists are promoting a state takeover of the entire district. That way, all the schools can be turned into charters with private managers. This eliminates the elected school board; reformers don’t like school boards. They like state control and mayoral control.

 

In the second link, Brantley writes:

 

“Following the money on the Walton-Hutchinson takeover of Little Rock schools

 

“It’s not yet clear when the final House Education Committee battle will be fought on HB 1733 to allow the state to privatize any or all of a public school district judged to be in academic distress.

 

“It’s monumental legislation that would make all school teachers and administrators fire-at-will employees without due process rights. It would destroy the last remaining teacher union contract in Arkansas. It allows for the permanent end of democratic control of a school district or those portions of it privatized. It would capture property tax millage voted by taxpayers for specific purposes, including buildings, and give them to private operators. It would allow seizure of buildings for private operators at no cost. CORRECTION: Fort Smith classroom teachers still negotiate with the Fort Smith School District. An anti-union organization they fund, the Arkansas State Teachers Association, has spent a great deal of money trying to solicit members in Fort Smith, a teacher there reports.

 

“This bill is the work of the Walton Family Foundation. People the Walton money supports — lobbyists Gary Newton of Arkansas Learns, Scott Smith of the Arkansas Public School Research Foundation, Kathy Smith of the Walton Family Foundation and Laurie Lee of Arkansas Parents for School Choice — are the leading lobbyists. Smith has been quoted by others as saying he’s the primary author (his organization gets $3 million a year from the Waltons), but it follows similar legislation introduced in other states, with poor to disastrous results (New Orleans).

 

(Concurrently and coincidentally, the Walton Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation are sponsoring a school study in Little Rock by the Boston Consulting Group, an outfit that has studied and recommended mass privatization in other cities.)

 

The goal is to make the Little Rock School District a laboratory for the pet education aims of the Waltons, who own the University of Arkansas, particularly the department ginning out propaganda in behalf of this bill. Gov. Asa Hutchinson is fully on board. He’s been resisting a solid plan to put competent people in charge in Little Rock and moving on fixing the six schools on which the entire district of 48 schools was placed in academic distress. His plan is to pass a law to overcome Johnny Key’s lack of a teacher certificate, master’s degree and 10 years education experience and become state Education Commissioner. Key would then find a Walton-favored outfit to run the six schools at issue and be poised to take over as many others as the Waltons deem necessary.

 

It’s been a long battle, but money does tend to win out.

 

UPDATE:….

 

Many tentacles. Lots of money….

 

If you think Johnny Key, who used Nick Wilson-style special language chicanery to increase the virtual charter school enrollment from 500 to 3,000 will stop at six Little Rock schools in the privatization scheme, I’ve got a Little Rock school to sell you for $1, subject to Walton approval.

 

The simmering pot full of Little Rock School District frogs (otherwise knowns as voters, taxpayers, parents, students and teachers) will soon be fully cooked, with no life left to jump out.

Categories Arkansas, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Privatization, Walton Foundation

Arkansas: Elites Move to Create a Statewide Charter District for Privatization

By dianeravitch
March 9, 2015 //
23

Max Brantley, columnist for the Arkansas Times, writes that legislation has been filed to create a statewide district for low-performing schools. The legislators apparently want to copy the failed Achievement School District in Tennessee (which has made minimal progress towards its goals of turning low-performing schools into high-performing schools within five years) and the failed Recovery School District in Louisiana (one of the lowest ranked districts in the state). The distinguishing characteristics of these districts is that 1) they eliminate public education; 2) they eliminate school boards elected by the people; 3) they allow the legislature to lower standards for teachers; 4) they enable the schools to be turned into privately managed charter schools, often (usually?) run by out-of-state operators. The proposed legislation says that the new district will be run by a nonprofit but experience shows that the nonprofit outsources many of its functions to for-profits and pays its executives salaries that far exceed those of local superintendents.

 

Some of the key elements of the bill:

 

The commissioner can assign whole districts or single schools to the state “achievement district” for purposes of such out-sourcing.

 

The law significantly advances existing takeover powers by allowing the commissioner to waive the teacher fair dismissal act. Due process in firing? Gone. The state can also waive the fair hearing law and any requirement to engage in collective bargaining. Employees become at-will — fireable for any, or no, reason

 

The nonprofit operators need not hire licensed teachers.; observe laws on length of day and holidays; or have a school board. The nonprofit operator DOES get to claim the voter-approved local property tax, whether residents of the district like that or not.

 

If only a specific school is taken over, the rest of an existing school district can be forced to provide transportation, meals and such for the taken-over school. This scheme is followed in some other states where charters have taken hold on a broader basis. You could call it taxation without representation. The Walton Family Foundation and the education “reformers” it subsidizes at the Walton campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville probably would call it canny business practice,

 

The nonprofit operator can get existing school buildings — again built by local tax millage — for free (sorry, $1 a year.)

 

Minimum takeover period would be three years. But it could be five years before residents would get their schools back under local control.

 

Yes it applies after the fact to the Little Rock School District.

 

One thing we have learned from the New Orleans experience. Those schools that are taken over will never be returned to their local school district. The state will keep raising the bar to keep them privatized.

 

Call it legal theft. Give big campaign contributions. Control the legislature. Ask them to give public schools and public property to entrepreneurs. Privatize public education. It is more than breathtaking. It is sickening.

 

A public school or school district that is classified by the State Board of Education as being in academic distress and taken over by the state board as of the effective date of this act is eligible to become part of the achievement school district at the discretion of the Commissioner of Education.

 

Breathtaking.

 

I’m surprised the bill specifically doesn’t allow these charters a waiver from civil rights, gun, vaccination and public record laws, given the Republican backing. Gays MAY be discriminated against, of course, because they are not covered by state civil rights law. And Bart Hester aims to keep it that way.

 

I’ve had persistent reports of Gov. Asa Hutchinson having met with some of the wealthy Arkansans who are backing the “reform” movement to talk about dramatic upheaval in education. This would certainly be it. It first faces an Education Committee evenly split on partisan lines, but the Billionaire Boys Club (Walton, Stephens, Hussman, Murphy fortunes) has also worked to win friends on the Democratic side.

 

 

Categories Arkansas, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Privatization, Walton Foundation

Little Rock Students Organize to Protest Walton-Rockefeller Takeover of District

By dianeravitch
February 3, 2015 //
12

Little Rock students have formed the Little Rock School District Student Association to protest the state takeover of their schools and to demand representation in any entity that decides their future. This statement was written by Hannah Burdette, a founding member of the association.

 

 

 

Statement from the Little Rock School District Student Association:

 

On February 1st, students from the Little Rock School District (LRSD) met to organize the foundations of the Little Rock School District Student Association (LRSDSA). The team of students, working throughout Sunday afternoon, represented three of the five high schools in the district (Hall High School, Little Rock Central High School, and Parkview Art/Science Magnet High School). The students capitalized on momentum generated by the Arkansas State Board of Education’s recent takeover of the LRSD– and subsequent dissolution of the district school board– to create a groundbreaking camaraderie between students.

 

The LRSDSA plans to provide representation for the students of the district in the political bodies that dictate the future of education. The working mission statement of the LRSDSA was drafted during the meeting and reads, “The LRSDSA is an association of students united to amplify our voices and dedicated to empowering students to speak out in their classrooms, schools, and community in order to create continual implementation of reform in our district.” The students of the LRSDSA are students who stand, “dedicated to ensuring our voice and our vote in our education.”

 

The students founding the new association feel that their collective voices have gone unheard by the Arkansas State Department of Education. Over the past several weeks, these students spoke at out at LRSD Board of Directors meetings, community forums, and a special meeting of the State Board of Education to plead for the continuation of the LRSD Board of Directors. The LRSDSA believes that those in charge of a school district must possess an intimate knowledge of the communities surrounding struggling schools and be willing to recognize student voices as equal to those of administrators and teachers. This intimate connection is easily lost in bureaucracy, as demonstrated by the decision of five members of State Board of Education to vote for a State takeover, thereby disregarding the voices of students who spoke out and implored the members of the Arkansas State Board of Education to allow students from each high school to work with the LRSD Board of Directors, community members, teachers, and administrators to to improve education across the district.

 

The Little Rock School District Board of Directors was a democratically elected body and provided a seat for a student ex officio at every meeting. Several students engaged in forming the LRSDSA worked on the campaigns of school board members, and many students formed personal connections with the board. The Arkansas State Board of Education currently allows for no official student representative at their meetings and often schedules these meetings during school hours, making it impossible for students to attend meetings concerning their education. The LRSDSA seeks to change that.

 

Additionally, the LRSDSA plans to make known to the Arkansas State Board of Education and to the public that they are displeased with both the dissolution of the LRSD Board of Directors and the silencing of student voices through a peaceful demonstration on Thursday, February 5th, 2015. At 5pm, students will march from the Arkansas State Board of Education at 4 Capitol Mall to the LRSD Central Office– the location of LRSD Board of Directors meetings– located at 810 West Markham. The organizing students emphasize that this demonstration will be done peacefully and encourage any community supporters to join them.

 

Written by Hannah Burdette, founding member of the LRSDSA, on behalf of her constituents.

 

 

 

 

Categories Arkansas, Resistance, Walton Foundation

How the Little Rock School District Lost Local Control

By dianeravitch
January 30, 2015 //
9

Max Brantley, a fearless blogger in Arkansas (and former editor of the Arkansas Times), wrote an analysis of the Arkansas State Board of Education’s decision to takeover the Little Rock School Board. “The Billionaires Boys Club and its allies at the chamber of commerce won a hard-won and well-orchestrated battle,” he wrote.

 

Look who is on the state board:

 

The votes for takeover included Diane Zook, wife of Randy Zook, head of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and aunt of Gary Newton, who heads several organizations financed by the Walton Family Foundation and advocates establishment of charter schools. Others included Vicki Saviers of Little Rock, who’s served on the board of the pro-charter-school Arkansans for Education Reform, a lobby financed by the Waltons and other wealthy Arkansans. She also helped found the eStem charter school in Little Rock, another beneficiary of Walton money. Another takeover vote was Kim Davis of Fayetteville, director of external relations for the Northwest Arkansas Council, a private development group whose key backers are the Walton Family Foundation, Sam’s Club and Tyson Foods. The other vote for takeover, besides Ledbetter, was Toyce Newton of Crossett, who heads Phoenix Youth and Family Services. She has served on the Board of the Rockefeller Foundation, which has been partnering with the Walton Family Foundation on an education improvement project. Saviers is on the Rockefeller Foundation board as well. The Rockefeller Foundation is a financial contributor to Newton’s nonprofit.

 

You know what will happen next, right? You remember that Carrie Walton Penner told Forbes that her vision for “fixing” education in America was charter schools, vouchers, and a free market in schooling.

 

 

Categories Arkansas, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Privatization, Vouchers

Arkansas State Board Takes Control of Little Rock School District

By dianeravitch
January 29, 2015 //
26

In a closely divided vote, the Arkansas State Board of Education voted to take over the Little Rock School District. The same superintendent will remain in place, but he will report to the state commissioner. The elected school board will be dissolved and replaced by a citizen advisory board. The cause of the takeover was the low test scores of six schools.

 

Patrons of the district, including state Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, students, teachers, and parents, addressed the board, with most urging the board to wait.

 

Many students told the board the schools they attended were places they considered safe havens in spite of the problems they may have, and insisting that test scores alone are a poor measure to evaluate the schools or the district.

 

 

I have yet to see an example of a state takeover that led to improved education. No one at the State Education Department–in any state–knows how to turn water into wine or make other miracles. When schools are struggling, they need help. They need smaller classes, they need librarians, social workers, nurses, and psychologists; they need additional support for the children and families. That doesn’t change whether the district or the state is in charge. New York state had a takeover many years ago of the Roosevelt School District in Long Island. By all accounts, state control cost more and produced nothing.

 

 

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