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What EduShyster Learned in Austin about David and Goliath

By dianeravitch
March 11, 2014 //
10

EduShyster went to the first national conference of the Network for Public Education, and it reminded her of the Biblical story of David and Goliath.

Our Goliath is the giant billionaire who only talks to people who agree with him. When he first encounters puny David, his first thought is, “Who is paying him? Must be the teachers’ union.” Goliath loves money so much that he cannot imagine anyone who is not motivated by money. He can’t understand–he cannot even imagine–that 400 parents, educators, students, academics, and concerned supporters of public education met in Austin and paid their own way! No corporate sponsorship! No union subsidy! Just people who wanted to be there because they are passionate about keeping Goliath’s hands off their school.

EduShyster’s sister, a teacher in Illinois who has watched Goliath swing his axe at her school, wrote a comment that appears in the post. She left the conference excited to know she is not alone. She has many allies. They are everywhere. Her allies have slingshots. And they are not afraid.

Tremble, Goliath. You too will fall. For all your bluster and money, you are hurting kids. Even though you own the U.S. Department of Education, you will not prevail. You will not prevail because your “reforms” not only hurt kids, they hurt teachers. They don’t make education better. They damage communities. Everything you do fails. You are a loser. Got that? A loser.

Categories Corporate Reformers, Network for Public Education, Supporting public schools

The Abject Failure of Michigan’s Educational Achievement Authority

By dianeravitch
March 8, 2014 //
20

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s pet project is the Educational Achievement Authority, where the lowest-performing districts are clustered in a single entity managed by Superintendent John Covington, a Broad Academy graduate. The EAA has been funded not only by taxpayers but by the Broad Foundation and many Detroit philanthropists.

For reasons documented amply by Eclectablog, the EAA has failed to help the state’s neediest children.

Now comes the state testing data, and the evidence is clear about the failure of the EAA.

How about research-based interventions, like reduced class sizes, wraparound services, the arts, medical care, and a sustained effort to reduce poverty and segregation?

Categories Corporate Reformers, Michigan

Wall Street Journal: Cuomo Poll Numbers Tumble

By dianeravitch
March 6, 2014 //
17

There is little doubt that Andrew Cuomo will be re-elected, given that he has raised $33 million from New York’s financial titans.

But the latest Wall Street Journal poll shows that Cuomo’s numbers dropped sharply to their lowest point.

Apparently, his claim to be the “lobbyist for students” hasn’t worked so well, especially with black and Latino voters.

His fervent embrace of charter schools in recent days is hardly surprising, given that charter advocates have given him nearly $1million, but less than 5% of the state’s children attend charter schools. Cuomo’s tax caps on public schools across he state have caused fiscal distress in districts that enroll the other 96% of the state’s children.

The story says:

“New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s job performance rating has dropped to its lowest level since he took office in January 2011, tumbling by 10 percentage points since November, according to an NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist College poll.

“Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat facing re-election this year, saw his job approval among voters statewide fall to 42%, according to the poll, from 52% in the fall, with the governor suffering steep declines among Latino and African-American voters.

“Among Latino registered voters, Mr. Cuomo’s rating fell by 21 points—to 41% from 62% in November. And among African-American voters, the governor registered a 42% job approval rating, down from 57%.

“Mr. Cuomo’s favorability remains quite high, at 63%, the poll found. But his overall job-performance rating of 42% was six points lower than his previous lowest-ever rating of 48%, the month he took office.

“On the bright side for the governor, the poll showed Mr. Cuomo far ahead of potential Republican rivals, including Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who threw his hat in the ring for the GOP nomination Wednesday.”

Categories Budget Cuts, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Cuomo, Andrew

Cuomo Distorts Charter School Facts and Issues, Gets a Grade of F

By dianeravitch
March 6, 2014 //
33
A researcher who has followed the issues in New York state closely submitted the following analysis of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s views on charter schools. The researcher has requested anonymity; he has documented his review. The sources are nonpartisan and unimpeachable.  This is recommended reading for all journalists and citizens. Forgive the formatting.

*******************************************

Just the other day, we saw two competing visions for public education clash in Albany. Mayor Bill de

Blasio spoke at a rally in support of a real plan for universal pre-K for children. Governor Andrew Cuomo

spoke at a rally in support of the continued expansion and extra funding of charter schools.

The evidence supports only one of these visions. The evidence shows that the charter sector does not do

a better job than public schools, even narrowing our frame of reference to test scores. On the other hand,

the evidence is clear that universal pre-K is the most effective educational policy lever in helping to close

the achievement gap.

Let’s take a look at Governor Cuomo’s remarks to see how well he met the 11th-12th

grade Speaking and Listening Common Core Standards, of which he is so fond.

How well did he perform on “presentation of knowledge and ideas?”

************************************

Cuomo’s claim: “this is the most important civics lesson you will learn, because this is democracy and

this is how you make your voice heard. And we are here today to tell you that we stand with you. You are

not alone; we will save charter schools.”

The facts: The rally for charter schools was not a function of democracy. Charter schools cancelled

school for the day and bussed parents and students to Albany. Public school children remained in school.

Democracy would have required that both charter AND public schools be cancelled for the day and that

busses be provided for both charter AND public school students and parents. Only then would we know if

more parents and children support or oppose the continued expansion of charter school. Only then would

the voice of the people have been heard. But New York City Department of Education Regulation D-130

prohibits such blatant political activity “if such visit may disrupt the educational school environment.”

Charter schools do not, of course, follow such rules, even though they receive public money. If this

were not enough anti-democratic behavior the Daily News reported that “sources with knowledge of the

situation say Cuomo urged charter school advocates to turn out for the pro-charter rally.”

***************************************

Cuomo’s claim: “education is not about the districts and not about the pensions and not about the unions

and not about the lobbyists and not about the PR firms – education is about the students, and the students

come first.”

The facts: It is Cuomo who is influenced by lobbyists at the expense of the true interests of students.

Recent investigative reporting uncovered that “Cuomo’s reelection bid has so far received nearly

$400,000 from a cadre of wealthy supporters of Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy Charter School

network, according to an updated tally of newly-released campaign filings. Some money has even come

from Moskowitz’s political action committee, Great Public Schools, which has given $65,000 to Cuomo

since 2011… By one tally of the 2014 filings, Cuomo racked up at least $800,000 in donations from

27 bankers, real estate executives, business executives, philanthropists and advocacy groups who have

flocked to charter schools and other education causes in recent years.”

**************************

Cuomo’s claims: “We know that too many public schools are failing. Over 200 failing schools – 6%

grade level for reading, 5% grade level for math.

The facts: We know no such thing. We do know that the Board of Regents changes cut scores at

will to make it appear that students and schools are failing. For example from 2011 until 2013 out of

286 possible point combinations on the English Language Arts Regents exam an average of 74 point

combinations resulted in a passing grade. Then, in June of 2013, the number of point combinations

leading to a passing grade was dramatically lowered by 23%. Since then an average of 63 point

combinations out of 286 leads to a passing grade. We also know that New York State’s identification of

failing (a.k.a. “Priority”) schools is statistical nonsense. One researcher found that “Priority” schools have

150% more free lunch students, 300% more Black students, 175% more Hispanic students, and 200%

more English Language Learners than schools in “Good Standing.” We don’t have very many failing

schools. We do have many students who need and deserve more support. Which brings us to Cuomo’s

next claim.

***********************************

Cuomo’s claim: “The education industry has said the same thing for decades: more money, and more

money, and more money, and it will change. We spend more money per pupil than any state in the nation;

we’re number 32 in results. It’s not just about putting more money in the public school system, it’s trying

something new and that’s what charter schools are all about.”

The facts: The irony here is that charter schools in New York City, especially those that belong to the

charter chains that showed up to protest, spend much more per student than public schools. One analysis

has shown that, compared to similar public schools, Success Academy spends $2,072 more per student

and KIPP spends a whopping $5,359 more per student. New York State’s own data show that the “Good

Standing” schools receive 75% more foundation aid per student than the “Priority” schools. Cuomo’s

numbers just don’t add up.

*****************************

Cuomo’s claim: “Now not every charter school has been great, but overall they have been a great success

– like Success Academy in the South Bronx. The third best results in the state; give yourselves a round

of applause. That’s why 50,000 parents are on the waiting list, and our point today is parents deserve a

choice.”

The facts: Success Academy has become a lightning rod in this debate. So let’s review the numbers

on their Harlem schools, the only schools in the Success Academy network that have been around for

more than a couple of years. Last year’s 7th grade class at Harlem Success Academy 1 had a 52.1%

attrition rate since 2006-07. Last year’s 6th grade class had a 45.2% attrition rate since 2006-07. The

data show that this attrition is selective. For example, the attrition rate of special education students and

English Language Learners is over 60% in some cohorts in the space of just 3 years. All test outcomes

are meaningless when a school gets rid of so many kids. The Harlem Success Academies had an average

17.5% suspension rate as compared to an overall 8% in Harlem public schools. This is another way to

encourage challenging students to leave.

Harlem Success Academies have 50% fewer English Language Learners, 40% fewer special education

students overall, 1,400% fewer of the highest need special education students (and no this is not a typo),

15% fewer free lunch students, and an economic need index (a measure of students in temporary housing

and/or who receive public assistance) that is 35% lower than nearby public schools.

Even so barely more than half of their students were “proficient” on the last English exam and their

growth scores lagged peer schools by over 10 percentage points. They scored in the 39th percentile on

English exam growth for their overall student population and in the 21st percentile on English exam

growth for the students who began with scores in the lowest 1/3 of students citywide. The media likes to

tout Success Academy’s Math exam scores which were a bit better (and are easier to test prep for than the

writing required on English exams). But again, when you kick out students who get low test scores it is

not surprising that test scores go up.

************************************

Cuomo’s claim: “I am committed to ensuring charter schools have the financial capacity, the physical

space, and the government support to thrive and to grow.”

The facts: de Blasio has already stated that he will charge only those charter schools who can afford it

rent fees when they use public space. Success Academy for example had “at least $30.9 million in total,

end-of-year assets.” Here is a report on what happens to public schools when charter schools, using

examples from the Success Academy network, are given physical space in public buildings.

“P.S. 123 had already struggled during its first co-location, with Success Academy Harlem 2 (SAH2),

that began in 2008. Three years later, Success Academy Harlem 5 (SAH5) entered the building, taking

SAH2’s place (which had to move to another location because of, ironically, lack of space), located on

the third floor. Because of this co-location, P.S. 123 has lost three rooms and several programs, and is

slated to lose three additional classrooms in September of 2012.One of the key losses was a GED program

that catered to adults 19 years old or older, which provided the school with the opportunity to educate

both children and adult community members in the same facility. The school also lost the use of their

computer room and had the library divided into cubicles, which limits student’s library time. The school

lost its SAVE room (see footnote #41), which are required by state law, and for P.S. 123 means disruptive

students simply remain in the class. In addition, students do not have enough time to take their state

exams. Students in the lower grades will have to either go outside or sit in the auditorium while the older

students are taking their exams. Due to the limited space, only certain classes at P.S. 123 are permitted

to use the gym. As a result, the school does not have a structured physical education program. There

is not enough room for the students to have an art program. The school is unable to achieve the 12:1:1

classroom ratio for students who have an Individualized Education Program. Speech and occupational

therapy are conducted in cubicles instead separate rooms. Additionally, students in Kindergarten through

Second grade have lunch at 10:30 a.m. SAH5 has air conditioning in all their, classrooms but few of the

air conditioners in P.S. 123 work properly.”

“Despite the fact that SAH4 has not yet reached full capacity, observers found significant inequities

in space between the school and STEM during a walk-through of the two schools… STEM [Science

Technology Engineering and Math Institute, a public school] has one science lab compared to SAH4’s

three rooms. STEM has no art room —only an art cart (Figure 1]. On the other hand, SAH4’s art room is

state-of-the-art [Figure 2]… STEM has a shared one-quarter of a classroom that had previously been for

janitorial use. It has been revamped for the use of both speech and ELL services. At times, these classes

are conducted at the same time, making it difficult for students to focus. SAH4 has its own dedicated

speech room, which is used fewer than five hours a week…STEM has a one-quarter classroom that

serves 20 self-contained special-education students, despite the fact that the classroom has capacity for

only ten students [see Figure 3]. Occupational and physical therapy for STEM students is provided in the

library or hallway. SAH4 has its own Dance Room [see Figure 4]… At one point, STEM’s Kindergarten

through 2th grade classrooms were located in the basement. Unfortunately, the basement provided only

a janitorial toilet. Since STEM students are not permitted to use the SAH4 bathrooms and are prohibited

from SAH4’s assigned floors, STEM students were required to walk from the basement to the second

floor, and then back down a different set of stairs to the first floor STEM bathroom, so as to not cross

through SAH4 space.”

“SAH2 has four science labs. P.S. 30 has one science lab. Their state-of-the-art science lab, renovated

in 1990s after a grant from Mayor David Dinkins, was lost to SAH2. In only half of a classroom, P.S. 30

has seven service providers who furnish occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, hearing

services, and tutoring [Figure 7]. SAH2 has a speech room, two psychology rooms, an occupational

therapy room, seven administrative offices, and a generic conference room. In addition, SAH2 has its own

karate room, chess room and block room [Figures 8 through 11].”

“Specifically, with the HSA [Harlem Success Academy] expansion, the students at P.S./M.S. 149 have

lost: A fully equipped music room, instruments and a program; A state-mandated SAVE room where

students who are disrupting their classrooms have a chance to work on their studies without disrupting

other students; A computer lab, capable of servicing an entire class at a time; Individual rooms for

occupational and physical therapy (a speech teacher is servicing students in the library); and The English

Language Learners (ELL) classroom (student are sometimes are serviced in the library or non-teaching

spaces). Additionally, hallways in the school are extremely overcrowded, and the middle school students

are prohibited from using the stairwell that exists directly across from their classrooms — which is very

problematic during fire drills, and is a safety hazard.”

“Already co-located with Fredrick Douglass Academy II, in the summer of 2012 Wadleigh was preparing

to be joined by a Success Academy Harlem West (SAHW) charter school in the fall. During the

negotiations for the co-location, Wadleigh was promised 29 classrooms, but received only 20. The school

lost rooms for small group tutoring and administration, and guidance counselors have been forced to

hold confidential conversations with students behind partitions. Upgrades for the incoming SAHW —

including painting doors and walls —began while Wadleigh students were attempting to prepare for their

Regents exam, and administrators were given a short deadline for packing up materials in rooms that were

to be taken over by the SAHW in the fall, despite the fact that school was in session and would be so for

another month.”

*******************************************

The evidence is clear. Cuomo has misrepresented the evidence and the facts. He receives a grade of well- below proficient on the following Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1a  (“Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation

by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful,

well-reasoned exchange of ideas. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1c. Propel conversations by posing and

responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions

on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative

perspectives. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1d Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize

comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and

determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete

the task. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence,

conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative

or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are

appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

It is time for Governor Cuomo to go back to school.

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Governor Cuomo Earns a “Well Below Proficient” Grade for His Speech on Charter Schools.docx
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Categories Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Education Reform, Privatization

Rupert Murdoch’s War on Mayor de Blasio

By dianeravitch
March 5, 2014 //
25

After eight years of Rudy Guiliani and twelve years of Michael Bloomberg, the 1% is accustomed to getting whatever it wants in Néw York City. They like to cover their “wants” in deceptive rhetoric suggesting they are doing it “for the kids” or for “civil rights.”

Media Matters here reports on billionaire Murdoch’s vendetta against Mayor Bill de Blasio. Our newly elected progressive mayor is now the target if a full-bore attack by all of Murdoch’s media: the Néw York Post, Fox News, and the Wall Street Journal.

The 1% is already furious that de Blasio wants them to pay about $1,000 a year so that pre-K is available to all. Now de Blasio had the audacity to give Eva Moskowitz only three of the charters she expected. At the same time, he approved 39 of 49 charter applications.

How dare he deny any charter application! Eva’s friends on Wall Street have launched a very elaborate barrage of attack ads against the mayor, accusing him of indifference to the needs of black children.

Why trust de Blasio when you could trust Rupert Murdoch, Fox News, and hedge fund managers to protect the rights of children?

The hedge fund crowd has already forgotten that de Blasio won in a landslide. They forgot that Eva last closed her schools to lead a protest march across the Brooklyn Bridge, accompanied by de Blasio’s Republican opponent, Joe Lhota. They forgot that de Blasio crushed Lhota by 50 points. In other words, he has a mandate.

But that won’t stop the smear machine.

Categories Bill de Blasio, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers

The Big Lie about Mayor Bill de Blasio and Charters

By dianeravitch
March 5, 2014 //
107

The New York City tabloids–whose owners are zealous about charter schools–have whipped up a frenzy against Mayor Bill de Blasio because he did not approve every single charter application rushed through the Bloomberg board at its last meeting in October 2013. That board, which never said no to Mayor Bloomberg, approved an unprecedented 49 charter applications, some of which are co-locations.

A co-location means that a charter, which is operated by a private board of directors, gets public space in a public school. The public school has to surrender “empty” rooms that were previously used for art, music, resource rooms for special education, and any other space that is not considered a classroom. The regular public schools–attended by 94% of all public school children, must be overcrowded to make room for the charters. Because the charters are heavily subsidized by private funding, they typically renovate the space (not good enough for them), and their students have the latest and best of everything. In New York City, the term “academic apartheid” is becoming a reality, in the very same building. In some co-located spaces, the children in the charters have separate entrances, to keep the others out of their space.

De Blasio had to decide what to do with so many co-locations. The city already has 183 charters.

He approved 39 of the 49. He turned down 9, and one is under review.

Let me say that again. He approved 39 of 49. That is hardly anti-charter. In fact, many public school parents are outraged that their schools will now be forced to give up space to a charter that operates under different ownership (private).

Of the 9 that were denied, three were destined for Eva Moskowitz’s charter chain called Success Academy.

But of the 39 that were approved, Eva won three.

Instead of celebrating the addition of three new charter schools to her growing chain (the largest in the city), Eva has gone on the warpath, claiming that de Blasio is anti-charter and wants to hurt the poor black and brown children she serves.

The media do not know that her schools do not serve the same demographic as the children in the public schools. She enrolls fewer children with special needs and fewer English language learners. Her schools have a high suspension and attrition rate.

Her logic seems to be that since she gets high test scores (note the above sentence as one does tend to get high scores by keeping out low-scoring students), she deserves to get whatever space she wants, rent-free.

By that logic, the city should give extra privileges to students with high scores, and should take away space and privileges and programs from those with low scores.

This makes no sense.

Public schools must serve all children, not just those who can get high scores on standardized tests. Public schools must serve children who don’t speak any English. They must serve children who have severe disabilities. They must serve those who have emotional and social problems. They must serve those who have all kinds of problems and who are unwilling or unable to walk in a straight line.

It is sad that Governor Andrew Cuomo threw his political weight on Eva Moskowitz’s side. As governor of the state, he is responsible for all children, not just the precious few in charter schools.

Everyone understands that the hedge fund managers and equity investors are supporting Eva’s fight against de Blasio. He has already annoyed them by saying he wants them to pay a slightly higher tax rate to fund universal pre-kindergarten. The charter school fight gives them a chance to strike back at him, while pretending “it’s all about the kids.” They would like nothing better than to take down New York City’s first progressive mayor in at least 20 years (some one say even longer).

De Blasio has not declared war on charters. He has made a judgment. Many public school parents are angry that he approved 39 out of 49 charter co-locations. Eva and the tabloids think she should have whatever she wants.

The question before the Mayor is whether he will continue to fund a dual school system–one sector able to choose the students it wants–and the other sector serving all. He is trying to have it both ways, and it doesn’t work. He gave the charter lobby almost everything it wanted, and they still came after him as if he had given them nothing at all.

Categories Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Privatization

Michigan: Governor Snyder’s Plan to Destroy Public Education

By dianeravitch
March 5, 2014 //
17

Dale Hansen in the Detroit News explains in this blog post how Governor Rick Snyder has underfunded the public schools while claiming (falsely) to have increased funding.

By the way, the title of his article is: “Governor Rick Snyder Is Working to Destroy Public Education.”

He shows how the Governor is pushing teachers out of the pension system, contributing to its woes as there are fewer teachers to pay into it.

He shows how the Governor favors charter schools, and will continue to convert public schools into charter schools wherever and whenever possible.

More than 80% of the charters in Michigan are operated for-profit, meaning that taxpayers’ dollars are going to pay off investors and stockholders, not into the classroom where they belong.

Hansen writes:

Regardless of all of these potential problem areas, Rick Snyder and Michigan Republicans know that every school they deem failing will simply be converted to a charter school, which pulls more students out of traditional public schools. This means less teachers contributing to the public retirement fund and with fewer teachers contributing it requires the state to kick in more. The perception then becomes that greedy teachers are taking money out of the classroom and that public schools are expensive and inefficient.

This is the self-fulfilling prophecy Republicans hope will be the undoing of public schools. The Republican solution to inefficient and expensive public schools makes public schools more inefficient and expensive. It’s a win-win for Republicans. They make public schools look bad while simultaneously putting more kids on the charter school gravy train.

The question of money in education is important but when it comes to the Michigan governor’s race the better question should be, what do we want our education system to look like in the future? Do we want schools that are subject to local checks and balances or a couple massive corporations that make their money based on quantity, not quality? Because regardless of how much either candidate pledges to spend, their goals are profoundly different.

Categories Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, For-Profit, Michigan, Privatization, Testing

Jason Stanford: “Education Spring” Is Right Around the Corner

By dianeravitch
March 4, 2014 //
24

Veteran political analyst Jason Stanford attended the Network for Public Education conference in Austin, and he sensed the beginning of a movement against high-stakes testing and the corporate takeover of public education.

He writes:

“In the state where high-stakes testing began, a few hundred teachers, academics, and activists came together last weekend to hasten what one leader called an “Education Spring.” The Network for Public Education gathered in Austin to plan the resistance to the status quo of high-stakes testing and an encroaching corporate privatization movement. This first-of-its-kind convention might finally provide an effective opposition to the corporate reform movement that wants to run education like a business.

“With groups like this one and so many others, all of which are active in so many ways, in so many parts of the country, we are standing on the threshold of the Education Spring,” said John Kuhn, a Texas superintendent known for his fiery speeches. “We’re here to shake up the educational world, and our movement is only growing. This is our spring.”

Categories Corporate Reformers, Network for Public Education, Testing

Peter Greene: Why the “Reformers” Will Lose

By dianeravitch
March 4, 2014 //
21

Peter Greene writes here on why the “reformers” will lose.

The subject of my speech at the NPE conference was “Why We Will Win.” I will post it when I find the link in a few minutes.

Peter notes that no one espouses the “reformer” agenda unless they are paid to do so.

On our side, as we saw at the NPE conference in Austin, everyone is a passionate and knowledgeable volunteer, unpaid and deeply concerned first and foremost about children and the future of our society and the survival of a basic public institution–our public schools.

When I read his post, I was reminded of a brief exchange I had with the reporter from the Wall Street Journal, who stopped by our conference for a few minutes, on her way to SXSW, which enlists every imaginable corporate sponsor, from Pearson to Amplify, to dozens of others.

We talked about the issue of money and profits. She said, to my shock, “There are people on both sides looking to make money.” I waved my hand across the room of education activists and said, Who here is making money? The teachers making $40,000 a year? The parents? Everyone here paid their own way, or we supplemented their expenses. We have no corporate sponsors. We have no union sponsors. Who is making money?” I am still waiting for an answer.

Oh, I did admit that Randi Weingarten gave us money. She joined as an individual member and paid $20.

Categories Common Core, Corporate Reformers, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Network for Public Education

Nevada: Teacher Explains How Corporate Reformers “Play” with Education

By dianeravitch
March 4, 2014 //
32

From Angie Sullivan in Nevada, where the rich play, kep taxes low, and are privatizing the public schools:

“Some of the most wealthy people in the world live in Nevada.

What do billionaires and business people do for fun in Nevada?

Reform public education of course!

What do Casino Tycoon Elaine Wynn, Amazon.com Jeff Bezos, and Zappos Tony Hsieh have in common? Teach for America and ALEC inspired education reform. The return on investment model should be applied everywhere!

All this experimentation with public education – without research or time tested results , wouldn’t bother me so much if the situation were not so financially dire in the State of Nevada. Last in the nation in funding, huge at-risk populations, and limited funds to siphon for billionaire fly-by-night ideas.

Did you know that Nevada will vote on a 2% tax on businesses earning $1 million or more in November 2014? This has our education reforming billionaires really twisted. Nevada is one of the few states that does not tax corporations. This attracts billionaires who are adverse to paying . . . anything.

Did you know that Jeff Bezos the founder and CEO of Amazon.com has a warehouse outside of Fernley, Nevada in the desert?

Did you know that this ecommerce company pays taxes based on location of warehouse?

Did you know that Amazon.com has a history of union-busting and treating labor poorly to maximize income?

Did you know that Amazon.com is a known tax evader and does all it can to not pay its fair share?

Did you know Jeff Bezos belonged to ALEC and ALEC aided him with his Amazon.com loopholes?

Did you know that Jeff Bezos is really excited by charter schools, privatization and union-busting? Bad news for public schools.

Did you know that Amazon.com bought Zappos?

Did you know that Tony Hsieh is the founder and still works at Zappos – which is now located in downtown Las Vegas – revitalizing the area?

Did you know that Tony Hsieh is involved with Teach for America and plans to continue to bring at least 1,000 TFA to Vegas?

Teach for America are young and excited but they aren’t trained to be teachers – unless you think a few weeks is enough. 150 Teach for America were hired in Vegas at the same time 1400 fully licensed Teachers were pink slipped resulting in union-busting.

Did you know TFA mingle with Zappos employees, even going on spring break trips and retreats together?

Did you know that Victor Wakefield, Executive Director of Teach for America, is married to Nevada State School board member (former TFA) Alexis Gonsalez-Black, Zappos?

Did you know that Elaine Wynn, Casino Tycoon, and Tony Hsieh, Zappos donated heavily to the Nevada State Election Campaigns of Alexis Gonsalez-Black and Allison Serafin? President Elaine Wynn, Alexis Gonsalez-Black and Allison Serafin who all have connections to big money and Teach for America sit on the Nevada State Education Board. Hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars spent on unpaid board seats — one has to ask . . . why?

Did you know that during the last legislative session the NV assembly prevented TFA from receiving additional tax payer funds for its non-profit. And TFA then went to CCSD and asked for additional funds – this was rejected. And then TFA went to the City of Las Vegas – and received money from the city . . . unprecedented “education funding” to a cash flushed non-profit? Public Schools recently endured one billion in budget cuts but there is money for this?

Did you know that Teach for America is becoming a major political player and national campaign contributor – as a non-profit?

Did you know that Governors in other states refused to give TFA money because they had so much? $350 million in net assets.

Did you know that education philantrophy makes a nice non-profit tax shelter.

Did you know that Elaine Wynn is President of the National Non-Profit Communities in Schools- which declares an unbelievable and most likely unprovable – drop out prevention (return on business investment) success story?

Wynn donates hundreds of thousands across the nation to Communities in Schools – she is so kind!

And her international $135 million giving to Macau was even cause for investigation! The SEC called the gift suspicious; More suspicious is Wynn’s appointment by the Governor of Reno to the Nevada State School Board while being investigated?

Does anyone see a pattern with these business oriented billionaires and their plans for public schools? When public education is a large portion of the state budget and you are a billionaire partially because of sketchy business practices and tax dodging . . . it makes sense that you want to distract everyone by reforming public schools instead of paying your fair share and funding schools adequately.

Nevada needs the community to vote for the TEI in November 2014.

The high rolling billionaires need to pay their fair share this time around instead of coming up with “great education ideas” that don’t work.

http://www.theeducationinitiative.com/

Angie”

Notes and Links:

Jeff Bezos

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-known-for-patience-focus-on-detail-in-his-business-ventures/2013/08/05/477a8806-fe13-11e2-96a8-d3b921c0924a_story.html

Amazon is required to collect the tax only in states where it maintains a physical presence, such as a warehouse. But Amazon now is supporting the bill, which has passed the Senate and is pending in the House. State sales taxes no longer pose a real threat to Amazon; with an emphasis on same-day shipping, the company is building distribution warehouses across the country and would have to pay the tax anyway.

The Bezos Family Foundation — whose board includes Bezos, his parents and other family members — gave more than $11 million in 2011 to an array of national organizations such as Teach for America, Stand for Children and the KIPP Foundation, according to tax filings. The foundation also gave grants to scores of individual schools around the country as well as several charter school chains, including Uncommon Schools, which operates schools in New York and Massachusetts.

http://askville.amazon.com/address-Amazon-warehouse-Sparks-Nevada/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=9142399

Amazon.com Inc
1600 Newlands Dr E
Fernley, NV 89408

(775) 575-8000

http://www.amazon.com/Locations-Products-Careers/b?ie=UTF8&node=14237861

Fulfillment and Warehouse Centers

We receive, pack, and ship tens of millions of items from our global network of fulfillment centers.
North America
* New Castle, Delaware
* Coffeyville, Kansas
* Campbellsville, Kentucky
* Hebron, Kentucky
* Lexington, Kentucky
* Fernley, Nevada
* Red Rock, Nevada
* Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
* Carlisle, Pennsylvania
* Lewisberry, Pennsylvania
* Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/41846337.html?device=tablet
Close of facility in Red Rock, Nevada – Fernley still opened

http://www.housmans.com/boycottamazon.php
Amazon are Union Busters
Amazon have a little-reported, but undeniable record of preventing their work force from unionising. In 2001, Amazon.co.uk hired a US management consultancy organisation, The Burke Group, to assist in defeating a campaign by the Graphical, Paper and Media Union (GPMU, now part of Unite the Union) to achieve recognition in the Milton Keynes distribution depot. It was alleged that the company sacked four union members during the 2001 recognition drive and held a series of captive meetings with employees.
Unionbusting

http://www.housmans.com/boycottamazon.php
Tax dodging and union busting

Amazon’s workplace practices have come under fire in recent years. News outlets have detailed everything from the exhausting nature of warehouse work (employees can walk as much as 15 miles daily) to ambulances waiting outside a facility to collect workers who overheated because of a lack of air conditioning. Warehouse workers in Germany have walked out several times over wage issues. Some later traveled to Seattle to picket in front of Amazon’s headquarters.

Read more: How Amazon Crushed the Union Movement | TIME.com http://business.time.com/2014/01/16/how-amazon-crushed-the-union-movement/#ixzz2tHJIic4x

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bezos
Purchase of Wasington Post

http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2013/aug/16/jeff-bezos-washington-post
Bezo’s Politics called into questions

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/08/07/the-politics-of-jeff-bezos/
Donations to keep from being taxed
Family big support’s of charter schools
Donations on both sides of the aisle.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/08/05/jeff_bezos_inscrutable_libertarian_democrat.html
Donation to gay marriage equality
Donations to various candidates
Donations to defeat taxes

http://www.alternet.org/media/what-will-washington-post-be-under-jeff-bezos
But what has not made news is Bezos’ careful activism on behalf of big business and some of the richest Americans. In 2010, a coalition of Washington state public interest groups, teachers and socially minded wealthy Americans like Hanauer and Bill Gates Sr. supported Initiative 1098, which would have established the first-ever income tax in the state. If passed, the initiative would’ve established a tax on adjusted gross income for individuals earning more than $200,000 a year and $400,000 on married couples or domestic partners. By taxing high-income Washingtonians, the initiative would also have allowed for a reduction in property taxes and the expansion of certain business tax credits.

http://www.thenation.com/article/168109/protesters-confront-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos#
Amazon has also taken heat for its membership in ALEC—the American Legislative Executive Council—a corporate-funded group that backs right-wing politicians. ALEC also drafts and promotes laws like those that effectively disenfranchised large numbers of minority voters, the “Stand Your Ground” legislation that has resulted in the death of Trayvon Martin and a number of other people, and the anti-union laws brought to national attention by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

And Amazon was behind the curve in withdrawing from ALEC, lagging well behind companies such as KFC, Taco Bell, Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Intuit, McDonald’s, PepsiCo and Kraft Foods. Most of these companies left ALEC more than a month ago, when revelations about its role in “Stand Your Ground” gave renewed momentum to demands that corporations leave it.

But then, ALEC has treated Amazon very well. It has defended the “Amazon loophole” that allows online sellers to avoid charging sales taxes the way other businesses do. This unfair advantage has given Amazon a lot more clout against neighborhood bookstores and retail book chains—clout it has used to drive many of them out of business.

Bezos is a libertarian who reportedly exults in the fact that Amazon’s loophole prevents the government from collecting taxes. He appears to exemplify a certain kind of Internet or computer entrepreneur—call them “digital libertarians”—who can be visionaries in technological and cultural ways and yet blind to social and economic realities.

http://news.rapgenius.com/The-bilderberg-group-list-of-attendees-for-2013-bilderberg-group-meeting-annotated#note-1837452
Bilderberg Group

Jeff Bezos: Worse Than We Thought


Privatization and Union-Busting

http://www.thenation.com/blog/175627/jeff-bezoss-other-endeavor-charter-schools-neoliberal-education-reforms

There’s one area where Bezos has been hyper-active, but it is largely unknown to the general public: education reform. A look at the Bezos Family Foundation, which was founded by Jackie and Mike Bezos but is financed primarily by Jeff Bezos, reveals a fairly aggressive effort in recent years to press forward with a neoliberal education agenda:

• The Bezos Foundation has donated to Education Reform Now, a nonprofit organization that funds attack advertisements against teachers’ unions and other advocacy efforts to promote test-based evaluations of teachers. Education Reform Now also sponsors Democrats for Education Reform.

• The Bezos Foundation provided $500,000 to NBC Universal to sponsor the Education Nation, a media series devoted to debating high-stakes testing, charter schools and other education reforms.

• The Bezos Foundation provided over $100,000 worth of Amazon stock to the League of Education Voters Foundation to help pass the education reform in Washington State. Last year, the group helped pass I-1240, a ballot measure that created a charter school system in Washington State. In many states, charter schools open the door for privatization by inviting for-profit charter management companies to take over public schools that are ostensibly run by nonprofits.

Other education philanthropy supported by the Bezos Foundation include KIPP, Teach for America and many individual charter schools, including privately funded math and science programs across the country.

But will Bezos’ interest in changing education policy affect his control of the Post? Only time will tell.

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/18129-jeff-bezoss-other-endeavor-charter-schools-neoliberal-education-reforms

The most troubling part of Amazon’s record, as it might relate to Bezos’ ownership of thePost, is Amazon’s December 2010 decision to shut down WikiLeaks’s server access after the group published a trove of State Department cables. Robert McChesney, citing Amazon’s move to pull the plug on WikiLeaks, released a statement today condemning the sale.

Tony Hsieh – Zappos
The http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100601/why-i-sold-zappos.html
acquisition closed on November 1, at a valuation of $1.2 billion (based on Amazon’s stock price on the day of closing). Our investors at Sequoia made $248 million. Our board was replaced by a management committee that includes me, Jeff, two Amazon executives, and two Zappos executives. As CEO, I report to the committee every quarter, and Zappos is responsible for hitting revenue and profitability numbers. But unlike our former board of directors, our new management committee seems to understand the importance of our culture — the “social experiments” — to our long-term success. In fact, one Amazon distribution center recently began experimenting with its own version of Zappos’s policy of paying new employees $2,000 to quit if they’re unhappy with their jobs.
The acquisition closed on November 1, at a valuation of $1.2 billion (based on Amazon’s stock price on the day of closing). Our investors at Sequoia made $248 million. Our board was replaced by a management committee that includes me, Jeff, two Amazon executives, and two Zappos executives. As CEO, I report to the committee every quarter, and Zappos is responsible for hitting revenue and profitability numbers. But unlike our former board of directors, our new management committee seems to understand the importance of our culture — the “social experiments” — to our long-term success. In fact, one Amazon distribution center recently began experimenting with its own version of Zappos’s policy of paying new employees $2,000 to quit if they’re unhappy with their jobs.

http://retailindustry.about.com/b/2013/07/22/happy-amazappian-anniversary-for-jeff-bezos-and-tony-hsieh-how-two-visionary-leaders-leveraged-success-in-four-short-years-amzn.htm

Four years ago today on July 22, 2009, Amazon.com finalized an agreement to acquire Zappos.com for $807 million. Since both of these internet-based retail companies have a global reputation for their customer-centric missions and associated fanatic customer loyalty, the union of Amazon and Zappos was logical, expected, and controversy-free. By all reports today is an anniversary of AmaZappian bliss for leaders Jeff Bezos and Tony Hsieh, who have both been busy leveraging their success over the past four years.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/nov/10/add-education-zappos-downtown-investment-forays/

As Zappos prepares to relocate to downtown Las Vegas, its growing list of investments in the area now includes more than $1 million to lure dedicated teachers to the area’s schools.

Teach For America, which trains teachers to work in schools that serve children from households in poverty, will receive a donation of $300,000 from the company and $1.2 million from CEO Tony Hsieh.

Allison Serafin, a special consultant to Clark County Schools Superintendent Dwight Jones, also went through Teach For America’s program after graduating from Texas Christian University in political science and social work.

“It completely changed my life,” Serafin said. “I was able to see firsthand through the experience of teaching my sixth-graders that the students were brilliant and capable.”

Serafin, who works by contract with the School District, called Teach For America one of “many excellent partners who share the same commitment to students … and a commitment that all children can achieve.”

http://vator.tv/competition/las-vegas-valley-alternative-spring-break

Zappos Spring Break – Teach for America
What is it?
The Teach For America – Las Vegas Valley & the Zappos Family of Companies Alternative Spring Break is intended to spark bold, new innovations that expand opportunities and close the achievement gap in the Las Vegas Valley community. Applicants will submit a response to one of three challenges being posed via video by three Las Vegas Valley corps members. Twenty five students from across the country will be selected and will be invited to join Teach For America- Las Vegas Valley, the Zappos Family of Companies, and Las Vegas Valley community leaders for an all expenses paid alternative spring break trip to the Las Vegas Valley in March. Programming will be Monday to Friday (with travel on Sunday, the 18th and Saturday, the 24th) and will include travel, all meals, activities, and housing, which will be with current Las Vegas Valley corps members. Participants will continue the spirit of social innovation and tackle community, school, and business challenges in Las Vegas with the Zappos Family of Companies, Teach For America corps members and staff, and other Las Vegas Valley community leaders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teach_For_America
According to a 2009 USA Today article, Teach For America has been criticized by opponents who claim that the program replaces experienced teachers with brand-new employees who have had only five weeks of training during the summer and are brought in at beginners’ salary levels. John Wilson, executive director of the National Education Association, sent a memo in May 2009 stating that union leaders were “beginning to see school systems lay off teachers and then hire Teach For America college grads due to a contract they signed.” Wilson went on to say that Teach For America brings in “the least-prepared and the least-experienced teachers” into low-income schools and makes them “the teacher of record.”[16]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/may/20/legislative-showdown-brewing-over-2-million-teach-/

Fixing Cities: Fixing the world

For Hsieh, though, this was part of the appeal. Transforming downtown Vegas would “ultimately help us attract and retain more employees for Zappos.” For the city itself, it would “help revitalize the economy.” More important, it would “inspire,” a word Hsieh uses often. Hsieh closed his presentation at the faux log cabin high above the desert with the sort of fact he seems to always have on hand: up to 75 percent of the world’s population will call cities home in our lifetime. “So,” he concluded, “if you fix cities, you kind of fix the world.”

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/23/tony-hsieh-las-vegas-zappos/

1,000 Teach for America Core Members
But now, he has to build the neighborhood. Much of the plans are already in the works. Plans are being finalized for 21,000 square feet of “co-working” space along the lines of General Assembly in New York. The small business development team is exploring building a back-office technology platform that the mom and pop shops can share to handle accounting, inventory, payroll and the like. Hsieh has made a $1.5 million deal with Teach for America to bring 1,000 core members and alumni to live and teach in the area. He is talking to the creators of the Burning Man festival about supplying art to the neighborhood. Party buses? He and his team are in the process of acquiring and revamping a dozen. Oh, and Hsieh is also part of a group trying to buy the Las Vegas 51s, the farm team; cue the new stadium plans.

http://edushyster.com/?p=1912

There remains but one question for us to answer, dear reader: is there a way for the tax payers of Nevada to increase their stake in the excellence project that is Teach for America? Good news again. In his state-of-the-union address, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval announced that the state is ponying up $2 million to bring still more TFA recruits to the Sagebrush State. Of course not everyone here is rolling out the welcome mat for the excellence express. Take the residents of Towne Terrace, a down-at-the-heels apartment complex in downtown Las Vegas, purchased by Zappos magnate (and Alexis Gonzales-Black employer) Tony Hseih who dreams of repopulating the entire area with more than 1,000 TFA corps members and alum. Except that the residents of the Towne Terrace made it exceedingly clear that they had no interest in being evicted to make way for excellence. Oh well, next time…

http://downtownproject.com/2012/teach-for-america-has-a-lot-to-celebrate/
In addition to this week’s activities and the recruiters’ conference in May, our local TFA team has more excitement to look forward to in the very near future. They’ll be welcoming their new corps members for induction week during June and will be relocating their offices to Downtown in July.

Alexis Gonzales-Black
Holacracy Implementation Team
Las Vegas, Nevada (Las Vegas, Nevada Area) Human Resources
http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisgonzalesblack?_mSplash=1

http://www.alexisfornv.com/

http://www.doe.nv.gov/State_Board_Education_Members/

$50million in education initiatives? Downtown Projects
http://downtownproject.com/2011/downtown-project-designates-50-million-in-funding-for-education-initiatives/

Victor Wakefield ( married to Alexis Gonzales-Blavk) TFA Leadership Nevada
Attracting and retaining high-quality teachers to Las Vegas is an important aspect of Downtown Project’s education initiatives as it partners with Teach for America. “The largest ingredient in school quality, just like in urban success, is human capital—the talents of the teachers,” writes Glaeser. It’s a sentiment echoed by Victor Wakefield, executive director of Teach for America-Las Vegas Valley.

Victor Wakefield

http://www.teachforamerica.org/where-we-work/las-vegas-valley

Nevada funding for cash flush TFA

http://www.lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2013/jul/23/las-vegas-city-council-weighing-support-embattled-/

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/apr/11/money-okd-bring-150-more-teach-america-educators-c/

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/teach-for-america-rises-as-political-powerhouse-98586.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/25/why-minnesota-governor-vetoed-teach-for-america-funding/

http://www.communitiesinschools.org/press-room/resource/philanthropist-elaine-wynn-makes-5-million-donatio
Elaine Wynn Chair National Communities in Schools

Mrs. Wynn has been a member of the Communities In Schools’ board of directors since 2000, assuming the Chair position in 2007. Under Mrs. Wynn’s leadership, the organization has focused on data-driven results, including the release of a five-year, third-party evaluation, a return on investment report, and annual program results demonstrating that the organization’s cost-effective model is effective in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-17/former-wynn-partner-okada-calls-macau-donation-suspicious-2-.html

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/dec/17/governor-taps-elaine-wynn-state-education-board/

Kazuo Okada, a co-founder of Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) who is locked in a legal battle with his former partner Steve Wynn, accused the company of making a “suspicious” $135 million donation to a Macau university.

Categories Corporate Reformers, Economy, Education Industry, Education Reform, For-Profit
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