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Saturday, August 3, 2013

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 8-3-13



4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT



Florida Education Chief Tony Bennett Resigns Over How A ‘C’ Became An ‘A’
Tony Bennett stepped down after reports that, while directing Indiana schools, he upped the grade of a charter school reportedly run by a major GOP donor. It's a blow to attempts to grade schools.   By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, Staff writer / CSMonitor.com http://bit.ly/18SsQWY Education commissioner Tony Bennett announces his resignation at a news conference on Thursday in Tallahassee,
P-Rev: ADELANTO SCHOOL AT CENTER OF PARENT TRIGGER CONROVERSY OPENS + smf’s 2¢
Parents used the state law to transform a public elementary school into a charter campus, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy. By June, the director says, students should be a year ahead of their peers. Doreen Diaz, right, a Parent Revolution organizer, sheds a tear as she visits a newly decorated classroom on Tuesday. With her is Ben Austin, executive director of Parent Revolution, the Los
L.A. Times v. LAUSD: L.A. UNIFIED TEACHERS RATINGS SHOULD BE DISCLOSED, JUDGE RULES
By Teresa Watanabe - latimes.com | http://lat.ms/15APv8E August 1, 2013, 7:33 p.m.  ::  The performance ratings of individual teachers in the city school district are matters of keen public interest and should be released to the Los Angeles Times, a judge ordered Thursday. L.A. County Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant ruled that the public interest in access to the ratings outweighed any
Art Teacher’S Angry Letter Prompts Suspension By Lausd
The teacher says his punishment and ultimate transferal was "unfair" Friday, Aug 2, 2013  |  Updated 7:28 AM PDT  ::  A Van Nuys art teacher who was suspended for 11 days after writing a harsh letter to a student’s parents is firing back at the Los Angeles Unified School District, claiming he is the true victim of harsh behavior. Lorcan Kilroy is speaking out against the LAUSD, saying the

AUG 01

Not On Our Watch, Part 1: FLORIDA EDUCATORS, PARENTS SHIELD STUDENTS FROM “PARENT TRIGGER”
By Amanda Litvinov « Education Votes http://bit.ly/15hoNEG This is the first in a series of three case studies. Check back next week to read about efforts in Kansas and Washington. By Amanda Litvinov « Education Votes http://bit.ly/15hoNEG This is the first in a series of three case studies. Check back next week to read about efforts in Kansas and Washington. Posted August 1,
Diane Ravitch asks: “WHY WILL NO MAJOR NATIONAL PAPER PUBLISH JOHN MERROW’S STORY ABOUT MICHELLE RHEE?”
by Diane Ravitch in her blog | http://bit.ly/1360G6m Ravitch Merrow Rhee 31 July 2013  ::  From the time Michelle Rhee started her run in DC, John Merrow was there to chronicle her progress on PBS. He posted a dozen episodes of her trials and triumphs. But last year, he began to have doubts. He began to wonder how widespread
$625 million this month, another $625 million in October: STATE READIES BIG DOWN PAYMENT ON COMMON CORE
By Tom Chorneau  - SI&A Cabinet Report | http://bit.ly/16JXTSo Wednesday, July 31, 2013  ::  State fiscal officers are preparing to distribute $625 million to schools later this month to help bring the new national common standards into California classrooms. The money comes on the heels of $2.1 billion in new state aid released last week targeting disadvantaged students – part of a bigger
Lack of accountability, codified: RULING SPOTLIGHTS HOLE IN DISMISSAL OF TROUBLED STUDENTS FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS
By Tom Chorneau, SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources http://bit.ly/16IQSBc Thursday, August 1, 2013  ::  Classroom security could be diminished as a result of a recent court ruling that found charter schools are under no obligation to notify neighboring school districts of a student’s dismissal – even if the separation was the result of dangerous or threatening behavior. Under long-standing
COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED AT FOREFRONT OF iPAD WAVE IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
Jed Kim | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/12IuuLn Jed Kim | Coachella Valley Unified teachers record as Judith Capper demonstrates a golf swing. July 31st, 2013, 6:00am  ::  Temperatures were nearing 100 degrees in Coachella Valley, but dozens of teachers were outside practicing filmmaking. They were using iPads to record each other miming golf swings, tennis shots and free throws.
Lausd Steals Well-Known New York Arts Principal To Lead Cortines High
Mary Plummer | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/13py7EA Mary Plummer/KPCC  |  A group of LAUSD teachers at an arts training program at Cortines high school in June. July 31st, 2013, 5:26pm  ::  Kim Bruno, head of New York's famous LaGuardia Arts high school will be the fifth principal in five years to take the helm of Cortines high school, a combined campus that includes a large
Lausd Adding Kid-Friendly Options To Cafeteria Fare
By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer- LA Daily News http://bit.ly/15frkiz 7/30/2013 09:44:07 PM PDT  ::  Los Angeles Unified plans to introduce more kid-friendly options, such as taco salad and chicken-and-waffles, to its healthful lunch menu this fall, while eliminating mess-making cereal from the Breakfast in the Classroom program, district officials say. <

JUL 31

WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION INVESTS $200 MILLION IN TEACH FOR AMERICA: 700 TFA teachers to come to Los Angeles
Walton Foundation Press Release undated – but posted July 31, 2013 2b451d0b-e262-4c1e-bd9f-ca5218d73b79 by 4LAKids smf notes: 94% of TFA teachers in Los Angeles teach in charter schools. In this instance "Los Angeles" refers to Los Angeles County.
Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm? LA ARTS HIGH SCHOOL GETS THE PRINCIPAL IT ALWAYS WANTED …if “it” = Beaudry
Kim Bruno, former principal of N.Y.’s “Fame” High School accepts offer to come to High School #9 /LA VAPA/Cortines High School by Hillel Aron, LA Schools Report | http://bit.ly/18M6iXK July 30, 2013   ::  The beleaguered Ramon C. Cortines School for the Visual and Performing Arts has a new principal. As Los Angeles Downtown News reports, the $232 million school will be helmed by Kim Bruno,

JUL 30

Local Control Funding Formula Includes Requirements & Sanctions Limiting K-3 Class Size To 24:1 …Or Less
By Tom Chorneau, SI&A Cabinet Report | http://bit.ly/15u9xlt Tuesday, July 30, 2013  ::  An overlooked but still key provision of Gov. Jerry Brown’s new funding formula for schools requires districts to maintain average class sizes at no more than 24 students – or risk losing some of their funding. In a new report released Monday by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, (follows)
NEW REPORT FINDS ARTS EDUCATION INCREASINGLY HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL: New Opportunities for Interest Driven Arts Learning in a Digital Age
Mary Plummer| Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/17fwNBG Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images | The Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Studies show that today's teens regularly use more than one screen at a time to stay connected. July 30th, 2013, 6:30am  ::  A new report by The Wallace Foundation argues students are increasingly finding valuable arts education exposure via technology they access outside
Debate Looms Over How To Spend Local Control Funding Formula Money For High-Needs Students
By Barbara Jones, LA Daily News |  http://bit.ly/1caky0o July 24, 2013 letter from advocacy groups to the LAUSD on the Local Control Funding Formula   7/27/2013 11:33:35 PM PDT Updated:   7/28/2013 9:19:03 AM  ::  As school districts statewide get their first revenue installment from Gov. Jerry Brown's new education funding model, Los Angeles Unified officials are debating the

JUL 28

Changing The Focus Of Adult Education
Associated Administrators of Los Angeles Weekly Update | Week of July 29, 2013 | http://bit.ly/14YHYD1 July 25, 2013  ::  You may recall that Governor Brown attempted to move oversight of adult education programs from K-12 districts to community colleges in his initial budget proposal. That provision received much opposition and the final budget included a compromise that districts would keep

JUL 27

OBSCURE STATE LAW REQUIRES ALL STUDENTS BE TAUGHT THE ARTS + smf’s 2¢
Mary Plummer | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/11n6Npb Mary Plummer/KPCC  |  Calabasas High School musical theater students perform "Cool" from their production of West Side Story at the Pantages Theater. July 26th, 2013, 6:00am  ::  As budgets worsened over the past several years, schools throughout California cut where they could, slashing arts budgets so deeply some students have
California National Rank On Per-Pupil Spending Abysmal, But Tide Is Poised To Change
By Rob Kuznia, Staff Writer, LA Newspaper Group | http://bit.ly/13lZjQR Teacher Mark Duvall's Torrance High classrom is packed with 43 students in this 2010 file photo. (Robert Casillas/Daily Breeze) << LAUSD instructor Edna Esguerra teaches chemistry to a class of 30 students during a summer school... 7/27/2013 10:59:52  [Updated:   07/27/2013 03:48:13 ]  ::  It's difficult to believe
RECONSTITUTING JORDAN, Not quite half the story
In REMAKING JORDAN DOWNS - Jordan High's staff shakeup puts students on better track [http://lat.ms/18K2lWT] The LA Times returns to their theme that forced reconstitution makes a lasting meaningful difference as measured by student test scores. In this version of the story reconstitution won’t  just save the high school – it will turn around an infamous housing project. Statistics show