New York City Mayor to lay off teachers

Mayor Micheal R. Bloomberg continues to pressure Gov. Andrew Cuomo to change the state law to allow him to lay off experienced teachers over the newly hired. He called it "merit."

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez Denounces Civil Rights Violations in Puerto Rico

Dickson and Woodin acoustic Buffalo, New York group: Book them for your next teacher conference

This is an awesome acoustic band from Buffalo formed six years ago made up of educators and school teachers. They perform again at Cafe Allegro, 1374 Hertel Avenue next month March  and April  from 8 to 11 PM. Dickson and Woodin great to invite to your conference or any program. Contact Jean Dickson on Facebook page.

Gov. Como supports competitive grants to schools based on student performance & management efficiencies

Here we go again with competitive grants to school districts in the executive budget  Gov. Andrew  M.  Cuomo released earlier this month.

"...in his budget Cuomo...outlined two incentive programs he proposed for school districts, each worth $250 million,"  according to Buffalo News reporter Mary B. Pasciak.  

One of  programs would reward districts with grants showing the greatest improvement in student academic achievement,while the other for districts demonstrating the best management efficiencies.

According to Cuomo, "If it's for the students and not about funding the bureaucracy, why not fund increases in student achievement? Incentivize schools that do. Change the culture," Cuomo said. "You don't just sit there and I'll send you a check, and I'll send you a check, and I'll send you a check. You have to actually do something for the money."

Cathie Black still might have to step down case going before appellate court in March

NYC Rubber Room Reporter: Deny Waiver Coalition Files An Appeal Of The Dismissal Of Their Lawsuit Against NYC DOE Chief, Cathie Black

"A group of lawmakers and child advocates, the Deny the Waiver Coalition, ...are appealing a lower court's decision on Black's waiver, hoping to push her out of the job." Appellate court decision on the appeal March 15. Cathie Black still might have to step down.

New York City - Looking back at experiments, innovations, smaller schools, and closures: what happened then and what is happening now?

New York City - Sarah Garland

"Michele Cahill was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and, at the time, she was running an experiment in New York City funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to replace large, struggling schools with small, more intimate schools. Klein told her he had a job for her in his reorganized education department as his senior counsel. The job came with a monumental assignment: raise New York’s four-year graduation rate by 20 percentage points. His goal was 70 percent—the same as the national average. Klein gave her one main instruction: “Be bold.”

Shortly after, Cahill discovered that not a lot was known about the city’s dropout challenge. Which of the city’s 230 high schools were getting their at-risk students on the right track? Which were failing at that task? Which students were falling through the cracks? She found some useful data stored in an outdated computer system. Often, though, no one could answer her questions."

NYC schools closure hearings, New Yorkers frustrated with Mayor Bloomberg School Policies

Chancellor Cathie Black losing her cool, jeers at parents, elected officials and community leaders

It appears Chancellor Cathie Black with only four weeks officially on the job as the head of the NYC schools is losing her cool, jeered, mocked at the audience  as reported in the NYPost on Wednesday at what has become the infamous Panel for Education Policy hearings on school closures.

JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS NYC Council Member letter to Mayor Bloomberg

Mayor Bloomberg called the parents speaking and protesting at the PEP meeting Thursday an embarrassment.  NYC Council Member Jumaane D. Williams sent the Mayor a letter in response to what he had said about the parents.

Public losing patience with Cathie Black Mayor Bloomberg defends embattled Chancellor

Chancellor Cathie Black is becoming a persona non grata if the Panel for Education Policy (PEP) meeting Thursday night is any sign of her status after an audience numbering over 2000, booed and heckled her mercilessly at the hearing on schools closings. Mayor Bloomberg  defended Black called the heckling a blood sport , saying "if we want to attract good people to come and work for the public, you don't do this..."  The problem is Cathie Black is not viewed as "good People," while Bloomberg persists in believing she can continue to govern without the consent of the governed.

Only 14 % of variation in academic achievement attributable to school quality..

"...equality of educational opportunity cannot rely solely on better delivery of the school curriculum for 

disadvantaged groups, but must address multiple aspects of disadvantaged children’s lives. "

These differences do not mean that a student’s background is the only influence on school outcomes. Studies have shown that only around 14 per cent of variation in achievement is attributable to identifiable features of school quality. The much greater amount of variation explained by other factors underlines the need 

to look at the range of children’s experiences, inside and outside school, when seeking to raise achievement among those who perform least well."

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The problem with education today

Charter schools to get a windfall increase due to Albany snafu last year

Charter schools in the state getting an increase in spending,  NYDaily News  columnist Juan Gonzalez reported last month as " the result of a legislative screw-up that Albany lawmakers failed to address before they went out of session...," in December.  "The hike affects the entire state. That means urban districts, where most charters are located, are being forced to redirect scarce dollars they had earmarked for traditional public schools."

Cathie Black solution to overcrowded schools in NYC: "could we just use some birth control?"

Buffalo Shootings Series: Buffalo Familes Speak Up

Families of the victims shot in a massacre four dead, four wounded speak up at a forum organized at True Bethel Baptist Church on Ferry St., Editor and Vice President of the Buffalo News Margaret Sullivan meets with the families of the victims to listen & commence a dialogue why the newspaper wrote a story showcasing the criminal records of the loved ones who died august 14, 2010, in what the Black community viewed as racist and insenstive journalism appearing in the paper after the last one is buried. Video produced by Maria Rosa all rights reserved for the:
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