Monday, March 2, 2009

Florida School Funding

Orlando Sentinel staff writers Denise-Marie Balona and Luis Zaragoza tell of efforts to revive public school funding in Florida in 6,000 rally to demand better education funding in Florida. Balona and Zaragona tell of parents who are upset that "that their kids could lose their fine-arts and athletic programs and favorite teachers, [who] have turned out to protest in recent months." The protest rally on Saturday and a recent funeral for public education YouTube video are the latest in a campaign to stop further cuts in Florida's education budget.

Legislators are said to be "toying with the idea of a temporary sales-tax increase or a new cigarette tax" to raise funds for education and other state needs. But Florida is one of the states in danger of losing federal education stimulus dollars because of a provision in the stimulus package. It requires states to keep education funding at 2005-2006 levels or more in order to receive their share of the nearly $54 billion included in the federal stimulus package for education.

Washington, D.C. Voucher Program in Peril

"Congressional Democrats have put conditions on future federal financing for a small school voucher program here, and they are urging the schools chancellor to prepare the public schools to re-enroll, in fall 2010, some 1,700 students currently attending private schools at taxpayer expense." Sam Dillon writes in Democrats Limit Future Financing for Washington Voucher Program that the change was triggered by a congressionally mandated review of the D.C. voucher program by Department of Education researchers. The review concluded "that there were no significant differences between the test scores of students who received a voucher and those who applied but, not receiving one, attended public schools instead."

Charters and Privates

Javier C. Hernandez has an interesting article about New York City residents shopping for schools in Charters Offer More Choices in Harlem, but Stir Concern for Public Schools. Jan Hoffman writes in the Times about difficulties parents are having in meeting private school tuition in About His Deposit ....

College Tax Tips

Kathy M. Kristof, personal finance writer for the LA Times, has an informative article about tax breaks for parents of college students in The ABCs of federal tax breaks for college education expenses. It's a good look at all the possible deductions for higher education. Kristof's article is a good one, even if you, like me, use TurboTax or something similar to do your taxes. With computer tax preparation programs, you get the job done, but often don't really understand what you're doing.

Tutors Making a Difference

For these tutors, three's a crowd by Victoria Leenders-Cheng is a great story about volunteers going the extra mile. She tells of the tutoring program at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School:

The center pairs 200 members of the community - business professionals, graduate students, retirees - with 250 high school students based on academic need and personal interests, and such matchmaking yields connections that grow far beyond the school itself.

"I have tutors here that have paid for the kids' college education. Three kids have been adopted by their tutors; another tutor ended up helping a kid get a kidney transplant and then a job," tutoring center manager Rene Meshon said. "There are so many stories."

Ain't It Great

I'm writing today's posting while listing to America: The Complete Greatest Hits. I downloaded the "album" today from iTunes when I saw the group was going to perform at one of our favorite venues, The Rosebud Theater, in Effingham, Illinois. We've attended great concerts at the Rosebud featuring the Gin Blossoms, Foreigner, and Air Supply.

The Rosebud opened in November 2007, and we took in our first concert there in December of that year. The theater seats 1564 people, and there's not a bad seat in the house. The Gin Blossoms were the first rock group to perform there. Only 400-500 people turned out, and the Gin Blossoms, a bit loose since it was their last concert before breaking for Christmas, invited everyone down front. They proceeded to give an incredible performance, despite the small crowd.

Since that time, Annie and I have attended sold out performances for Foreigner and Air Supply. Both shows were excellent. Foreigner invited everyone in the packed house down front, while Air Supply left the stage and sang in the aisles and rows...before inviting everyone down front. If you're in the general area, the Rosebud is a great venue. There's also a highly rated restaurant next door to the theater, The Firefly Grill, which we really like. Their menu changes daily, so it's best to take a peek before going.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ask NASA

The space shuttle Discovery is now "tentatively targeted to launch March 12 at 8:54 P.M. (EDT). NASA officials have issued a press release asking "Space enthusiasts from across the United States...to submit questions about space shuttle Discovery's upcoming launch, its STS-119 mission to the International Space Station, and NASA space exploration. Questions may be answered on NASA Television during the countdown to launch."

Questions can be submitted online at: http://webcast.ksc.nasa.gov.

Reward Systems

We've probably all used some kind of reward system for our students at one time or another. With cash-for-grades/behavior/attendance programs growing around the country, Lisa Guernsey has written a timely article about extrinsic rewards in Rewards for Students Under a Microscope.

Duncan Doing Some Things Right

I was really pleased to read that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan had "a conference call with 15 rural superintendents to hear what their needs were--and how the federal stimulus package could help meet those needs" just three days after his confirmation. Since I finished my teaching career in a rural district, I know such areas are often forgotten in the national scheme of education. What the report AASA: Educate the 'total child' told me was that Duncan, like much of the rest of the Obama Administration, is seeking out and listening to a far wider group of people than apparently was done under the previous administration. I think that has to be a good thing for education in this country.

Why Is Education Such a Low Priority?

Alexandra Marshall has an excellent article this week in the Boston Globe, The riddle of education: Why is it the last priority? In discussing education and the stimulus package, Marshall asks, "Why are teaching and learning so routinely deemed expendable when everyone agrees they shouldn't be?"

Odds 'n' Ends

It seems Michelle Rhee and the Washington Teachers are in the news every week. So far this week, two good articles have surfaced, Michelle Rhee Threatens End-Run Around Teachers' Union on The Huffington Post and Rhee Says Consultant's Report Shows Pay Plan Is Sustainable on The Washington Post.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Biden on Education Reform

An article in the Delaware Cape Gazette, Biden asks teachers for help to reform education, relates some comments from Vice-President Joe Biden. Speaking last month at the Delaware State Education Association winter retreat, he said, "We’ve been given all the ammunition. If we shoot and miss, if we squander this opportunity, tell me how long you think it’s going to take for another American president to ask for more dollars to correct the education system?”

Duncan Opposes Ending D.C. Voucher Program

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan commented Wednesday on the Democratic proposal to end the Washington, D.C., voucher program, "I don't think it makes sense to take kids out of a school where they're happy and safe and satisfied and learning. I think those kids need to stay in their school." The AP's Libby Quaid notes in US schools chief wants DC kids to keep vouchers that Duncan's statement puts "the Obama administration at odds with Democrats trying to end the program."

Odds 'n' Ends

Sarah Fine writes in Below the Bar: Why We (Can’t) Forget Students Left Behind in Teacher Magazine about her experiences with teaching high school low readers and the failures of NCLB inspired measures to help them.

In Scoop Essentials: Behavior, Taming The 800-Pound Gorilla, behavior specialist Deborah Lipsky shares how to distinguish a tantrum from a meltdown and how to control and prevent both.

Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at the UC Berkeley, takes issue with some of the Obama Administration's education proposals in On Education Spending, Facts, not faith: Obama pours money into discredited programs.

NASA today announced that the space shuttle Discovery is "now scheduled to lift off to the International Space Station at 9:20 P.M. EDT on March 11."

This update is really "quick and dirty," but it's 71^o here today, and I'm chomping at the bit to get outside.

Have a great weekend!

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