VI. the Studentsfirst-Romney Education Agenda
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THE TRUTH BEHIND FAMILIES for EXCELLENT SCHOOLS the TRUTH INTRODUCTION BEHIND FAMILIES for Mixed Messages EXCELLENT SCHOOLS
A REPORT FROM THE TRUTH BEHIND FAMILIES FOR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS www.massjwj.net THE TRUTH INTRODUCTION BEHIND FAMILIES FOR Mixed Messages EXCELLENT SCHOOLS What is Families for Excellent Schools? Although FES is not a household name around the state, the organization has had a significant impact on the debate around the future of public education here in Massachusetts—the birthplace of the modern public school system. FES—which describes itself as a grass-roots organization—is advancing an agenda backed by politically connected Wall Street financiers to increase the number of privately managed charter schools permitted by state law. Earlier this year, brigades of Unify Boston “volunteers,” armed with clipboards, knocked on doors and hung around MBTA stations soliciting support and signatures on pledge cards to “Give every child access to an The Great School excellent public school in his or her neighborhood— whether it’s a district or a charter school.” These efforts, Massachusetts coalition is part of the first phase of the FES campaign, was about building a contact list in preparation for phase two: the focused solely on increasing Great School Massachusetts coalition. This coalition is focused solely on increasing the number of charter the number of charter schools, schools, at the expense of students in traditional district schools. Since setting up shop in Boston in 2014, FES has been at the expense of students in fairly secretive about its values, goals and funders. It would be easy for Bay State residents to mistake FES traditional district schools. for any number of groups organizing communities purporting to improve education. -
Student Discipline, Race and Eva Moskowitz's Success Academy
Student Discipline, Race And Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy Charter Schools by Leo Casey-- October 19, 2015 At a recent press conference, Success Academy Charter Schools CEO Eva Moskowitz addressed the issue of student discipline. “It is horrifying,” she told reporters, that critics of her charter schools’ high suspension rates don’t realize “that five-year-olds do some pretty violent things.” Moskowitz then pivoted to her displeasure with student discipline in New York City (NYC) public schools, asserting that disorder and disrespect have become rampant. This is not the first time Moskowitz has taken aim at the city’s student discipline policies. Last spring, she used the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal to criticize the efforts of Mayor Bill De Blasio and the NYC Department of Education to reform the student code of conduct and schools’ disciplinary procedures. Indeed, caustic commentary on student behavior and public school policy has become something of a trademark for Moskowitz. The National Move to Reform Student Discipline Practices To understand why, it is important to provide some context. The New York City public school policies that Moskowitz derides are part of a national reform effort, inspired by a body of research showing that overly punitive disciplinary policies are ineffective and discriminatory. Based on this research evidence, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association and School Discipline Consensus Project of the Council of State Governments have all gone on record on the -
Threat to Public Education Now Centers on Massachusetts
THREAT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION NOW CENTERS ON MASSACHUSETTS May 2016 Preface This document updates and expands on Threat from the Right, an MTA task force report issued in May 2013. During the intervening years, the threat to public education, organized labor and social justice has grown substantially. Massachusetts is now in the crosshairs, with the forces behind charter schools, privatization and other attacks on the public good coalescing on Beacon Hill and throughout the state. That is reflected in the title of the 2016 edition, Threat to Public Education Now Centers on Massachusetts. No one should doubt the danger of the challenges outlined in these pages or the intensity of the forces behind them, which are national in scope. Nevertheless, winning the many fights we face is well within the power of the MTA and our allies — parents, students and other members of communities across Massachusetts and the nation. Understanding our opponents is an important step, and this report is intended to help us move toward meaningful victories as we continue to organize, mobilize and build the power we need to realize the goals of our Strategic Action Plan. Contents Introduction Elements of the Charter Campaign The Massachusetts Alignment ......................................................................................................7 Great Schools Massachusetts.......................................................................................................9 Families for Excellent Schools ....................................................................................................11 -
New York Times Article on Education
http://nyti.ms/1rctllb MAGAZINE | THE EDUCATION ISSUE | NYT NOW So Bill Gates Has This Idea for a History Class ... By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN SEPT. 5, 2014 In 2008, shortly after Bill Gates stepped down from his executive role at Microsoft, he often awoke in his 66,000-square-foot home on the eastern bank of Lake Washington and walked downstairs to his private gym in a baggy T-shirt, shorts, sneakers and black socks yanked up to the midcalf. Then, during an hour on the treadmill, Gates, a self-described nerd, would pass the time by watching DVDs from the Teaching Company’s “Great Courses” series. On some mornings, he would learn about geology or meteorology; on others, it would be oceanography or U.S. history. As Gates was working his way through the series, he stumbled upon a set of DVDs titled “Big History” — an unusual college course taught by a jovial, gesticulating professor from Australia named David Christian. Unlike the previous DVDs, “Big History” did not confine itself to any particular topic, or even to a single academic discipline. Instead, it put forward a synthesis of history, biology, chemistry, astronomy and other disparate fields, which Christian wove together into nothing less than a unifying narrative of life on earth. Standing inside a small “Mr. Rogers"-style set, flanked by an imitation ivy-covered brick wall, Christian explained to the camera that he was influenced by the Annales School, a group of early-20th- century French historians who insisted that history be explored on multiple scales of time and space. -
Hospital Bankruptcy Costs Soar
TOP STORIES REPORT Albany lobbyists TOP PRIVATE with Democratic COMPANIES ties come in Firms strike big deals from the cold Plus: 200 leading firms PAGE 2 ® PAGE 17 Why the top-rated radio station is tweaking its VOL. XXII, NO. 48 WWW.NEWYORKBUSINESS.COM NOVEMBER 27-DECEMBER 3, 2006 PRICE: $3.00 morning format PAGE 2 Port Authority Hospital takes on the FAA, offers its own plan for La Guardia bankruptcy PAGE 3 Despite O.J. woes, costs soar News Corp. shares are attractive and the number of professional IN THE MARKETS, PAGE 4 Saint Vincent’s fees firms involved,”says Lynn LoPuc- reach $45 million; ki, a professor at UCLA Law City Council bloc School who is currently a visiting opposes mayor on no legal charity professor at Harvard Law School. Fees in similar bankruptcies aver- property tax break for nonprofits age $25 million, says Mr. LoPuc- THE INSIDER, PAGE 12 ki, who puts SVCMC’s fee bill BY BARBARA BENSON “probably in the top 5%.” The case is a warning to other BUSINESS LIVES saint vincent Catholic Medical money-losing hospitals about the TERRY DENSON has lined Centers may have a mission to help true cost of filing for Chapter 11. CARETAKER’S BURDEN up major programmers for the indigent, but it’s certainly not “Recent experience has shown Siblings and Verizon’s FiOS TV. Will receiving any charity when that diverting money from the crisis of people subscribe? it comes to its bankruptcy health care is the unintend- Alzheimer’s proceedings. $810 ed consequence of bank- PAGE 35 Through September, TOP HOURLY ruptcy,” says David Sand- fee billed by A NEW PLAYER IN TV the $1.6 billion system had Weil Gotshal man, executive director of been billed $45 million in & Manges Gov.George Pataki’s hospi- professional fees related to tal right-sizing commission. -
Spending by NYC on Charter School Facilities: Diverted Resources, Inequities and Anomalies
Spending by NYC on Charter School Facilities: Diverted Resources, Inequities and Anomalies A report by Class Size Matters October 2019 Spending by NYC on Charter School Facilities: Diverted Resources, Inequities and Anomalies Acknowledgements This report was written by Patrick Nevada, Leonie Haimson and Emily Carrazana. It benefitted from the assistance of Kaitlyn O’Hagan, former Legislative Financial Analyst for the NYC Council, and Sarita Subramanian, Supervising Analyst of the NYC Independent Budget Office. Class Size Matters is a non-profit organization that advocates for smaller classes in NYC public schools and the nation as a whole. We provide information on the benefits of class size reduction to parents, teachers, elected officials and concerned citizens, provide briefings to community groups and parent organizations, and monitor and propose policies to stem class size increases and school overcrowding. A publication of Class Size Matters 2019 Design by Patrick Nevada 2 Class Size Matters Spending by NYC on Charter School Facilities: Diverted Resources, Inequities and Anomalies Table of Contents Table of Figures 4 Cost of Facility Upgrades by Charter Schools and Missing DOE Matching Funds 9 Missing Matching Funds 11 Spending on Facility Upgrades by CMO and DOE Matching Funds 16 DOE spending on leases for Charter schools 17 Cost of buildings that DOE directly leases for charter schools 21 DOE-Held Lease Spending vs Lease Subsidies 23 DOE Lease Assistance for charters in buildings owned by their CMO or other related organization 26 Cost of DOE Expenditures for Lease Assistance and Matching Funds for each CMO 31 Proposed legislation dealing with the city’s obligation to provide charter schools with space 33 Conclusion and Policy Proposals 34 Appendix A. -
Joanne Barkan Is a Writer and a Member of the Editorial Board of Dissent Magazine. Her Recent Work Has Focused on Philanthropy A
Joanne Barkan is a writer and a member of the editorial board of Dissent magazine. Her recent work has focused on philanthropy and democracy, private foundations, and the effort to remake public education in the United States. Barkan is the author of “Visions of Emancipation: The Italian Workers Movement Since 1945” (Praeger Publishers Inc., 1984) and was a regular contributor to the Rome-based daily newspaper Il Manifesto. She has also written many books of fiction, nonfiction, and verse for young readers. Jim Blew recently became president of StudentsFirst, the political and advocacy organization founded by former District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. For nearly 20 years before joining StudentsFirst, he advised the Walton family and the Walton Family Foundation on their K–12 reform investments. While serving as the foundation’s K–12 reform director, he helped guide more than $1 billion toward activists and educators who were striving to create high-quality school options for low- income communities across the country. At StudentsFirst, Blew is focusing more than 100 staff on policy opportunities in 12 states, combining his long-term commitment to educational choice with the pursuit of performance-based systems for teachers, administrators, and schools. From 2000 to 2005, Blew directed various campaigns for the Alliance for School Choice and its predecessor, the American Education Reform Council. Before committing himself full time to education reform, he worked at political and communications firms in New York and California. Stacey Childress is CEO at NewSchools Venture Fund. Before joining NewSchools, Childress led the K–12 Next Generation Learning team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, investing in schools and technologies that support personalized learning for middle and high school students in the United States. -
A Tale of Two Systems: Education Reform in Washington D.C
A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. BY DAVID OSBORNE A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. 2 PROGRESSIVE POLICY INSTITUTE A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. BY DAVID OSBORNE PROGRESSIVE POLICY INSTITUTE 3 A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS David Osborne would like to thank the Walton Family Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation for their support of this work. He would also like to thank the dozens of people within D.C. Public Schools, D.C.’s charter schools, and the broader education reform community who shared their experience and wisdom with him. Thanks go also to those who generously took the time to read drafts and provide feedback. Finally, David is grateful to those at the Progressive Policy Institute who contributed to this report, including President Will Marshall, who provided editorial guidance, intern George Beatty, who assisted with research, and Steven K. Chlapecka, who shepherded the manuscript through to publication. 4 PROGRESSIVE POLICY INSTITUTE A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................. ii A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS: EDUCATION REFORM IN WASHINGTON D.C. HISTORY AND CONTEXT.............................................................. 1 MICHELLE RHEE BRINGS IN HER BROOM .................................................. 4 THE POLITICAL -
Bipartisan, but Unfounded the Assault on Teachers’ Unions
Bipartisan, But Unfounded The Assault on Teachers’ Unions By Richard D. Kahlenberg central impediment to educational progress in the United States. Part of the assault is unsurprising given its partisan origins. eachers’ unions are under unprecedented bipartisan Republicans have long been critical, going back to at least 1996, attack. The drumbeat is relentless, from governors in when presidential candidate Bob Dole scolded teachers’ unions: Wisconsin and Ohio to the film directors of Waiting for “If education were a war, you would be losing it. If it were a busi- “Superman” and The Lottery; from new lobbying groups ness, you would be driving it into bankruptcy. If it were a patient, Tlike Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst and Wall Street’s Democrats for it would be dying.” If you’re a Republican who wants to win elec- Education Reform to political columnists such as Jonathan Alter tions, going after teachers’ unions makes parochial sense. Accord- and George Will; from new books like political scientist Terry ing to Terry Moe, the National Education Association (NEA) and Moe’s Special Interest and entrepreneurial writer Steven Brill’s the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) gave 95 percent of Class Warfare to even, at times, members of the Obama adminis- their contributions to Democrats in federal elections between tration. The consistent message is that teachers’ unions are the 1989 and 2010.1 The nakedly partisan nature of Wisconsin Gover- nor Scott Walker’s attack on public sector collective bargaining Richard D. Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, is the was exposed when he exempted from his legislation two unions author or editor of several books, including Rewarding Strivers: Helping that supported him politically: one representing police officers Low-Income Students Succeed in College; Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the other representing firefighters. -
Paul Moinester
THE MAGAZINE OF MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL | WINTER 2014 Hedging Bets on African Ecotourism Marketing the Great Outdoors with Upgrades Translating Memphis Beat Into Words Mr. Russell Bids Farewell FISH TALE Paul Moinester ’04 Embarks on North American Angling Odyssey In 2002 Paul Tudor Jones II ’72 established a 99-year lease with the Tanzanian government to protect the 350,000-acre Grumeti Reserves, part of the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. In association with the conservation-conscious, luxury hospitality company Singita, the project has generated high-end, low-impact ecotourism that is helping to preserve native habitats and wildlife, create jobs, and develop sustainable programs for local communities. Read about Jones’ Africa efforts on page 14. MUS TODAY contents Memphis University School Founded 1893 FEATURES Writing in Tune with the Memphis Beat MISSION STATEMENT 6 Memphis University School is a college- A Journey of a Thousand Fishes preparatory school dedicated to academic 10 excellence, cultivation of service and leadership, and the development of The Promise and Payoff of African Ecotourism well-rounded young men of strong moral 14 character, consistent with the school’s Boyle Celebrates 80 Years Christian tradition. 18 HEADMASTER Great Outdoors Gets Upscale Makeover Ellis L. Haguewood 20 Living Expatriate Life in Hong Kong BOARD OF TRUSTEES 23 Samuel N. Graham II ’80, Chairman Gary K. Wunderlich, Jr. ’88, Expanding the Art of Gunsmithing Vice Chairman 24 D. Stephen Morrow ’71, Treasurer Banker Finds His Cadence W. Thomas Hutton ’61, Secretary 26 R. Louis Adams ’70 James F. Burnett ’83 Duncan-Williams’ Friendly Rivals Suki S. Carson 27 Glenn A. -
5/10/11 NATIONAL NEWS Digital Learning Now: Online Education's
From: Clare Crowson ([email protected]) <[email protected]> To: CC: Date: Tue, 5/10/2011 10:46:15 AM Subject: Foundation for Florida’s Future, Key Reads: 5/10/11 Foundation for Florida’s Future, Key Reads: 5/10/11 For more education news, visit The Ed Fly at www.TheEdFly.com. NATIONAL NEWS 1) Digital Learning Now: Online Education's Impact Player; Staff – Liberating Learning 2) Opinion: Scenes From the New York Education Wars; Klein – Wall Street Journal FLORIDA NEWS 3) Michelle Rhee’s group praises new FL school laws (on merit pay, charters, vouchers, transfers); Postal – Orlando Sentinel 4) Flagler's charter schools behind in FCAT; Martin – Dayton Beach News-Journal STATE NEWS 5) Wisconsin Governor Walker touts school choice as economic growth tool; Staff – Associated Press 6) 2 sides want a say in Nevada teacher firing bill; Staff – Associated Press 7) Ohio Governor Kasich outlines his view on how to judge teachers; Vardon – Columbus Dispatch 8) Pennsylvania Governor links teachers' unions to failing schools; Levy – Associated Press NATIONAL NEWS Digital Learning Now: Online Education's Impact Player Liberating Learning By: Staff May 4, 2011 http://www.liberatinglearning.org/spotlight.php In less than a year, Digital Learning Now has become an important catalyst in the virtual education policy arena. The goal of Digital Learning Now, found in August 2010 as the Digital Learning Council, is to provide a road map for lawmakers and policy shapers to follow when developing legislation and polices that encourage the growth of online learning. The group's narrow focused has worked. -
A N N U a L R E P O R T 2 0
ANNUAL REPORT 2015 GOVERNANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMERITUS BOARD HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD David Einhorn, Chair Lloyd Blankfein Adam Flatto, Co-Chair Anne Dinning, Vice Chair Tom Brokaw Richard Mack, Co-Chair Larry Robbins, Vice Chair Richard Chilton Emanuel Stern, Co-Chair Lee S. Ainslie III Steven A. Cohen Priscilla Almodovar Laura Arnold Stan Druckenmiller Jeff Blau Jacklyn Bezos Julius Gaudio David Edelstein Victoria B. Bjorklund, Esq. Marie-Josée Kravis Ingrid Gould Ellen Emma Bloomberg Ken Langone Lloyd Goldman Scott Bommer Mary McCormick Jonathan Mechanic Peter F. Borish Lachlan Murdoch Ron Moelis Geoffrey Canada Gwyneth Paltrow Richard Roberts Cecily Carson Diane Sawyer Rob Speyer Katie Couric Jann Wenner Jed Walentas Glenn Dubin Brian Williams Deborah C. Wright Marian Wright Edelman Dirk Ziff Laurence D. Fink Jeff Zucker VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Roland Fryer Steven A. Cohen, Co-Chair John A. Griffin LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Admiral Michael Mullen, Co-Chair Doug Haynes Cecily Carson, Co-Chair Lloyd Blankfein Jeffrey R. Immelt Craig Nevill-Manning, Co-Chair Tom Brokaw Paul Tudor Jones II, Founder Anthony Bozza Cecily Carson Peter D. Kiernan III Elissa Doyle Anthony Crowell Philippe Laffont Scott Ferguson Eric Greitens Reynold Levy Rachel Jacobellis Doug Haynes Doug Morris Nancy Jarecki Kenneth B. Mehlman Alex Navab Derek Kaufman Wes Moore Daniel S. Och Alex Klabin Doug Morris John Overdeck Kristin Lemkau Deborah Mullen Robert Pittman Eli Manning Joseph H. Reich David Puth Serena Park Moon Jes Staley Alan D. Schwartz Tony Pasquariello Jon Stewart David M. Solomon Purnima Puri Bob Woodruff Jes Staley Jabali Sawicki Barry S. Sternlicht Allen Thorpe ED + TECH ADVISORY BOARD Max Stone Boaz Weinstein John Overdeck, Co-Chair John Sykes David Siegel, Co-Chair David Tepper ADVISORY BOARDS Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Harvey Weinstein PRIZE ADVISORY BOARD Dan Huttenlocher Paul Tudor Jones II, Chair as of 12/31/15 Bill Ackman Lee S.