Buffalo Superintendent James A. Williams views on education and the education of Buffalo students

Public now has access to Buffalo Board of Education committee meetings

Thanks to Buffalo News reporters Brian Meyer and Mary Pasciak, the public now has access to the Buffalo Board of Education committee meetings Student Achievement, Educational Support, Executive Affairs, and Finance and Operations clandestinely held  before on  Wednesdays  opposite from the regular board meetings in City Hall.
Pasciak wrote, "the board and the administration have for years been aware of the lack of public access (I've even heard board members joke about it during meetings) but done nothing about it until now. Why?" 
And what about the committee meetings with the superintendent? When are these meetings held?  
The next Executive Affairs and Finance & Operations committee meetings, Wednesday,  March 16, Room 801, City Hall at 5 PM and 7 PM as listed on the district calendar. Next Buffalo Board of Education meeting is Wednesday, March 23, at 5 PM, in room 801, City Hall.

Unshackle New York group on Property Tax Cap

Teachers' union appealing ruling on teacher layoff plan in Los Angeles

"...the ruling put the rights of students above the job protections that teacher unions widely consider sacrosanct."

Chickens coming home to roost: School board member Jacobs and Superintendent Williams on the outs

Politics on the Buffalo Board of Education makes for strange bedfellows as Board Member at-large, Christopher Jacobs and Superintendent James Williams  sparred about the issue of exempt employees, the non-union administrators former GOP gubernatorial candidate and businessman Carl  Paladino mentioned when he spoke before the Board of Education committee meeting on Wednesday.
When Jacobs  asked  Williams about  these exempt employees, he referred him to look at the budget,  saying: "We have less administrators than we had when I came here. But we have more exempt employees."
Superintendent Williams told Jacobs he's "sick of his craziness" and called Paladino "ignorant" and "stupid." And he told  Jacobs and other committee members they..."all cater to that stupid stuff. I'm fed up with it. I'm through with him (Paladino). I'm not going there."
Jacobs  frustrated with Williams picks up his things and walks out of the Board  Education committee meeting.
Interestingly Jacobs is vice-president for executive affairs  and chairs the executive affairs committee on the School Board,  where   these "exempt" administrative appointments discussed or was he politically grandstanding?
The Buffalo News education blogger speculated  Jacobs has political aspirations,  he's "...playing to the preferences of some of the most powerful forces Buffalo's business community," such as Carl Paladino.
The question is, what happens now to the former friends now foes?  Williams allegedly told reporters on Wednesday he would leave the district if the salary cap  Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed for superintendents based on enrollments implemented.
Christopher Jacobs has been one of Williams staunchest supporters on the School Board, voting with the faction that extended his controversial contract three times since July 2005.

Protesters Arrested For Blocking Stairs, Halls Of Capitol - WBEN NewsRadio 930 : Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY

Protesters Arrested For Blocking Stairs, Halls Of Capitol - WBEN NewsRadio 930 : Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY

Teacher lay off based on merit not seniority Quinnipiac poll revealed

The Quinnipiac poll released Thursday that performance not seniority should be used in teacher lay-off. What do you think?

S3501-2011 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Relates to retaining quality teachers when teaching positions are eliminated in city school districts in cities with a population of one million or more; repealer - New York State Senate

S3501-2011 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Relates to retaining quality teachers when teaching positions are eliminated in city school districts in cities with a population of one million or more; repealer - New York State Senate

Senator John J. Flanagan sponsored this bill for NYC schools.

Mayor in Providence gives the boot to nearly 2000 teachers

“I don’t plan on being Detroit,” Mr. Taveras said. “It won’t happen here. We care too much about education, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure our kids are in class sizes that are appropriate and led by great teachers.”

Detroit Public Schools packing 60 students per classroom to close budget gap

No more two Pell Grants in a calendar year hurts talented minority students

 The  federal department  of education "2012 budget calls for ending a three-year experiment that allows students to qualify for two Pell Grants in a calendar year, to allow them to attend college year-round, though the program served a higher number of minority students with higher grade point averages and earned credits in the California two-year college system according to data of 2009-2010."

Secretary of Education Duncan proposes more competitive grants for 2012 budget

"The Education Department budget would eliminate the TEACH Grant program, a several-year-old program aimed at encouraging teachers to work in high-need fields, and replace it with a new competition for states. The $185 million competitive program would let states give $10,000 scholarship to would-be teachers who attend the "most effective" teacher education programs."
 And, "Robert Berdahl, president of the Association of American Universities, said his group is 'concerned that the President's proposal to eliminate the in-school interest subsidy on loans to graduate students as a means of covering some the costs of the Pell program may discourage American students from attending graduate school at a time when the nation needs to "encourage its own best talent."
Also,"Obama budget would also create a new competitive grant program (modeled on the Race to the Top Program for elementary and secondary education) that would reward states that align high school graduation requirements with colleges' entry and placement standards, strengthen transfer and articulation between colleges, and institute performance-based funding for colleges." 

Deceptive education advertising

A Bill is under way in Albany called "last in, first out" law. Although the Mayor of NYC Schools Michael Bloomberg aggressively has pursued the changes in state law,  the others in the 5 big school districts--- Yonkers, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo with the highest enrollment of minorities students,  jumping on the bandwagon as well. Some fear it deprives children in these schools of veteran teachers. Viewed as racist, the bill exacerbates inequality in educational opportunity.

Cathie Black goes to Albany, Cuomo sending "waste reduction teams" to school districts

While Cathie P. Black, NYC  schools chancellor testified in Albany on Tuesday for  changes in the seniority rules and pension system for school employees, Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered to send out waste reduction teams to school districts unable to find ways themselves to save money.

Gov of New Jersey unveils plan to deny tenure to teachers

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey proposed new plan to chip away at the tenure system, denying it to ineffective teachers.