Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, February 1, 2016

Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)

Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education):

Federal Government Allows California Districts Flexibility in Spending About $233 Million to Help Students



 SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the federal government has granted California flexibility on rules regarding Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for the 2016–17 school year, the last year those rules would have been in effect.

SES funds are used to provide tutoring or other academic instruction outside the regular school day for academically deficient students at certain Title I schools, which have high numbers and high percentages of low-income students. Programs are often away from school grounds and require travel.
The decision, contained in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education last week, allows California school districts to have the flexibility to make their own decisions about how to spend an estimated $233 million in SES and transportation funds for public school choice. The estimate is based on the amount of funding allocated by California districts this year: $222 million for SES and $11 million for transportation.
Eight large California districts had already received flexibility on SES funds from the federal government.
"This decision is a big win for our most vulnerable students. It will improve learning and teaching by allowing districts to more easily set up tutoring and academic intervention programs that are more effective and more accessible," said Torlakson. "It recognizes that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. Districts know best how to serve their own students."
Torlakson also said that the SES rules set up by the federal government under NCLB "tied the hands" of California and its districts and set up a system dominated by private providers that led to high per-pupil costs and little evidence of academic improvement. In the three school years, 2011–14, California spent about $507 million combined on SES.
Under the federal system, providers—certified by the California Department of Education—marketed their services to parents. Districts then had to contract with chosen providers.
The California Department of Education carries out its role in approving providers vigorously but has received numerous complaints from parents, educators, and provider employees alleging questionable marketing practices; failure to deliver services, and falsifying enrollment, attendance, and invoice documents. Investigating complaints and terminating providers often took months—and sometimes years.
The SES program is not contained in the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which follows California's lead in emphasizing local decision-making and allowing accountability systems that look at multiple measures of success rather than relying so heavily on test scores.
But until this federal guidance, states that had not been granted waivers by the federal government had to adhere to the SES rules for the 2016–17 school year.
Torlakson thanked the U.S. Department of Education for providing this guidance and said he looks forward to working with the federal government on implementing ESSA. "We are very appreciative of the U.S. Department of Education's efforts to support some of California's most vulnerable students," he said.
The U.S. Department of Education is going to require California to have a one-year transition plan. Details are not yet known, but the plan will give districts flexibility as long as they spend the money to improve academic performance of academically deficient students in designated Title I schools.
With this new flexibility, districts can design their own tutoring or expanded learning programs on their own school sites, making them more accessible to more students. It will also allow teachers and administrators to participate, facilitate, and monitor the programs. .
California was just one of eight states that did not have flexibility in spending SES funds. Last year, California's request for flexibility was turned down by the U.S. Department of Education.
# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Last Reviewed: Monday, February 1, 2016

Big Education Ape: CA schools freed from costly after-school tutoring mandate | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/1SoQ1S8

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/1/16



CORPORATE ED REFORM





CURMUDGUCATION: CCSS Flunks Complexity Test
CURMUDGUCATION: CCSS Flunks Complexity Test: CCSS Flunks Complexity Test The Winter 2016 issue of the AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice includes an important piece of research by Dario Sforza, Eunyoung Kim, and Christopher Tienken, showing that when it comes to demanding complex thinking, the Common Core Standards are neither all that nor the bag of chips.You may recognize Tienken's name--
CA schools freed from costly after-school tutoring mandate | 89.3 KPCC
CA schools freed from costly after-school tutoring mandate | 89.3 KPCC: CA schools freed from costly after-school tutoring mandateCalifornia's schools are no longer required to send students to pricey for-profit and nonprofit tutoring providers, state education officials announced Monday afternoon.California joined more than 40 states granted a waiver by the US Department of Education from sanctio
FirstLine close, but not quite ready to return campuses to School Board control | The Lens
FirstLine close, but not quite ready to return campuses to School Board control | The Lens: FirstLine close, but not quite ready to return campuses to School Board controlBecause the Orleans Parish School Board’s hasn’t addressed key issues in its governance, the directors of FirstLine Schools voted unanimously Friday to remain under the supervision of the Recovery School District.The board does,
Jersey Jazzman: Charter School Realities: East Brunswick, NJ
Jersey Jazzman: Charter School Realities: East Brunswick, NJ: Charter School Realities: East Brunswick, NJThis year, I'm doing an occasional series about the many unknown charter schools that aren't affiliated with the big, non-profit charter management organizations like KIPP or Uncommon or Success Academies. Last time, I showed how a small charter in Red Bank, NJ, was likely impeding any chance
How Ohio Gov. John Kasich took over the schools in Youngstown - The Washington Post
How Ohio Gov. John Kasich took over the schools in Youngstown - The Washington Post: How Ohio Gov. John Kasich took over the schools in YoungstownIt was late on a Tuesday in June when Ohio State Sen. Joe Schiavoni got the call from a staffer for Gov. John Kasich (R). It was a courtesy call to let the Democratic minority leader know that Republicans would introduce legislation the next morning to d
Yet another warning about taking the state “mandated” NEW SAT on March 2, 2016 - Wait What?
Yet another warning about taking the state “mandated” NEW SAT on March 2, 2016 - Wait What?: Yet another warning about taking the state “mandated” NEW SAT on March 2, 2016Following up on my recent Wait, What? blog post entitled;“My daughter will not be taking the “state mandated” NEW SAT on March 2nd 2016.”Here is a SPECIAL WARNING for high school juniors who are thinking about applying to a colle
Detroit: Crumbling Walls, Millions for Marzano – Save Maine Schools
Detroit: Crumbling Walls, Millions for Marzano – Save Maine Schools: Detroit: Crumbling Walls, Millions for MarzanoOn Saturday, I wrote about Dr. Marzano – the consultant who was never a teacher, but makes millions telling those in the classroom how to teach.Since then, teachers from around the country have told me how wasteful and insulting they find his latest professional development scheme.Tea
Department of Education pulls federal aid to trade schools - The Washington Post
Department of Education pulls federal aid to trade schools - The Washington Post: Department of Education pulls federal aid to trade schools The Department of Education cut off federal loans and grants Monday to dozens of beauty schools and three technical trade schools for falsifying a wide range of records.“Our students depend on higher education institutions to prepare them for careers through
CURMUDGUCATION: How High Are the Standards?
CURMUDGUCATION: How High Are the Standards?: How High Are the Standards? Raise standards. High standards. Deciding whether Core standards are higher or lower than the old standards, or the newer standards.And nobody has any idea what any of it means.I mean, I'm not an idiot. I understand what it means to say that I hold my students to a high standard or that my classroom is based on having high st
The Credibility Gap Between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton | gadflyonthewallblog
The Credibility Gap Between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton | gadflyonthewallblog: The Credibility Gap Between Bernie Sanders and Hillary ClintonI Believe Bernie Sanders. I Don’t Believe Hillary Clinton.Really. It’s that simple.These two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency both have things going for them. But at the end of the day one of them is much more credible
Choosing Democracy: The Latino Teacher Shortage in the Area Was Created by the Sac State College of Education
Choosing Democracy: The Latino Teacher Shortage in the Area Was Created by the Sac State College of Education: The Latino Teacher Shortage in the Area Was Created by the Sac State College of Education Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil.by Duane Campbell. Prof. Emeritus.  Bilingual/Multicultural Education. CSU-S. In 2015 after the Great Recession  a new state budgets sent large amounts of funds to
Factory Model Education “Reforms” Were Designed for Product Testing, Not Children | Creative by Nature
Factory Model Education “Reforms” Were Designed for Product Testing, Not Children | Creative by Nature: Factory Model Education “Reforms” Were Designed for Product Testing, Not Children“The factory model was developed to ensure quality control and produce identical “consumer” products cheaply. It is NOT an approach that should be used with children. Modern researchers and professional educators ha
Non-Profit Industrial Complexes Role In Corporatized Education | PopularResistance.Org
Non-Profit Industrial Complexes Role In Corporatized Education | PopularResistance.Org: Non-Profit Industrial Complexes Role In Corporatized EducationAbove Photo: A Zapatista mural in the town of San Pedro PolhĂł illustrates ideas about education. Photo by Dario Ribelo on Flickr.“In the long run, NGOs are accountable to their funders, not to the people they work among. They’re what botanists would
Much of white America is ‘perfectly happy’ with segregated schools, says one Teacher of the Year - The Hechinger Report
Much of white America is ‘perfectly happy’ with segregated schools, says one Teacher of the Year - The Hechinger Report:Much of white America is ‘perfectly happy’ with segregated schools, says one Teacher of the YearThe education conversation people aren’t havingI want to tell you a secret: America really doesn’t care what happens to poor people and most black people. There I said it.In my positio
California schools rolling in dough, but 'scary' clouds appear on horizon - San Jose Mercury News
California schools rolling in dough, but 'scary' clouds appear on horizon - San Jose Mercury News: California schools rolling in dough, but 'scary' clouds appear on horizonVALLEJO -- Vallejo High School teacher Lewis Brown starts his morning government class with a question of the day that takes advantage of newly assigned iPads."Today is the one year anniversary of the French magazine terror
Teacher: ‘If Donald Trump gets elected, will me and my family be deported?’ — and other questions from 9-year-olds - The Washington Post
Teacher: ‘If Donald Trump gets elected, will me and my family be deported?’ — and other questions from 9-year-olds - The Washington Post:Teacher: ‘If Donald Trump gets elected, will me and my family be deported?’ — and other questions from 9-year-olds Political discussions can be sensitive for teachers to lead —  especially when young students ask direct and personal questions. How much should tea
Glass Not Even Half Full: Per-Pupil Spending in the U.S. Falls Again - NEA Today
Glass Not Even Half Full: Per-Pupil Spending in the U.S. Falls Again - NEA Today: Glass Not Even Half Full: Per-Pupil Spending in the U.S. Falls Again Per-pupil spending in the United States declined for a third consecutive year in 2012-13, according to new data released by the National Center for Education Statistics(NCES). Although the drop slowed down to less than 1 percent from the previous ye
Schools Matter: Ravitch Revisionism
Schools Matter: Ravitch Revisionism:Ravitch Revisionism It has taken just over a month since the passage of the god-awful rewrite of ESEA for Diane Ravitch to begin revising the history of her earlier enthusiastic support for the piece of dreck legislation that Gary Orfield and others have noted will turn back education policy in this country by more than a half century.  In initiating her own lim
Malloy Budget Plan – Coddle the rich while cutting vital state services - Wait What?
Malloy Budget Plan – Coddle the rich while cutting vital state services - Wait What?:Malloy Budget Plan – Coddle the rich while cutting vital state services On Wednesday, February 3, 2016, Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy, flanked by Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and the rest of his administration will submit his latest budget plan to a joint session of the Connecticut General Assembly.Malloy’s approa
Education Department Tells States: If Students Don't Take Tests, You Will Lose Funding
Education Department Tells States: If Students Don't Take Tests, You Will Lose Funding:Education Department Tells States: If Students Don't Take Tests, You Will Lose Funding"The volume of testing remains the same, which many parents and educators view as overkill." BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The U.S. Education Department is not relenting on requirements to test students on math and language a
State says number of students approved to get free lunch is way up | 89.3 KPCC
State says number of students approved to get free lunch is way up | 89.3 KPCC:State says number of students approved to get free lunch is way up A change in the way California determines which students are eligible for meal programs means far more kids this year will receive free lunch at school.There was a 32 percent increase in December to the number of California studentsautomatically enrolled
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES Rahm's council rubber-stamp, Ald. Will Burns bails out. Takes job with AirBnB.CTU Vice-Pres. Jesse Sharkey “The Big Bargaining Team will tell us if there’s a [tentative agreement].” -- Sun-TimesFreep Editor Stephen Henderson on FlintThis is about cities themselves, and how Michigan’s system of governance permits and even incentivi
All Things Education: Charter schools in Virginia whether we want them or not
All Things Education: Charter schools in Virginia whether we want them or not: Charter schools in Virginia whether we want them or notCharter schools may soon be coming to Virginia communities whether those communities want them or not. This is not about whether or not to have charter schools or whether or not charter schools work. This is about power and democracy.In Virginia, what's known as the
What Does the So-Called Corporate Takeover of Government Mean? | janresseger
What Does the So-Called Corporate Takeover of Government Mean? | janresseger: What Does the So-Called Corporate Takeover of Government Mean? Democracy has failed in Michigan.  In November, 2012, voters repealed a state law permitting the governor to impose state appointed austerity fiscal managers on local jurisdictions, but the legislature came back by the end of the year with a new, un-repealabl
School spending per student drops for a third year in a row - The Hechinger Report
School spending per student drops for a third year in a row - The Hechinger Report:School spending per student drops for a third year in a rowTowns and cities spent more on schools during 2012-13, but federal poverty and special education funds droppedTurn the education spending clock back to 2007.Per-pupil spending in the nation’s public schools fell for the third straight year in 2012-13*, accor
Pondering the future of CTA, Sacramento post-Friedrichs :: SI&A Cabinet Report
Pondering the future of CTA, Sacramento post-Friedrichs :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: Pondering the future of CTA, Sacramento post-Friedrichs(Calif.) For decades they have cast an imposing political shadow over the Capitol – dictating terms on budget deals, elevating supporters and isolating opponents while exercising a de facto veto powe
You Have To Read This Letter From A School To Students Receiving Test Scores - Yahoo News
You Have To Read This Letter From A School To Students Receiving Test Scores - Yahoo News: You Have To Read This Letter From A School To Students Receiving Test Scores A primary school has sent out a heartfelt letter to pupils alongside their exam results.The letter sent by staff at Harmony Hill Primary School in Lisburn, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, contained words of inspiration for pupils recei
Teachers reported moderate to major concerns prior to 2015 state testing
Teachers reported moderate to major concerns prior to 2015 state testing: Teachers reported moderate to major concerns prior to 2015 state testingPrior to the first round of K-12 standardized testing under Common Core education standards last year, most teachers had moderate to major concerns about test difficulty and low student performance, according to new studies from the RAND Corporation.Most

YESTERDAY

Big news: from LA School Report founder Jamie Alter Lynton - LA School Report
Big news: from LA School Report founder Jamie Alter Lynton - LA School Report:Big news: from LA School Report founder Jamie Alter LyntonDear Readers:I am thrilled to announce today a partnership betweenLA School Report and the online education news site The 74.I founded LA School Reportmore than three years ago on the belief that there is an urgent need for quality journalism in the education aren
La. House Ed. Chair, Nancy Landry, Publicly Demeaned Teachers in 2012 | deutsch29
La. House Ed. Chair, Nancy Landry, Publicly Demeaned Teachers in 2012 | deutsch29: La. House Ed. Chair, Nancy Landry, Publicly Demeaned Teachers in 2012On January 28, 2015, the Louisiana House Education Committee chose chose Nancy Landry (R-Lafayette) as its chair.  Nancy LandryLouisiana teachers remember Landry from 2012– March 14, 2012– and the House Education Committee hearings on the Jindal “o
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/31/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMParadigms are Made for ShiftingParadigms are Made for Shifting: Paradigms are Made for ShiftingDo we need a radical change in our thinking to survive on Earth?“A new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move toward higher levels.” – Albert Einstein, N.Y. Times, 1946Over the course of the last hundred years, Western scientists have given us a deeper view of