SUNY Reviewing Proposal for charter schools to certify its own teachers

Should charter schools certify their own teachers similar to how public schools had done it in the past? For example, the Buffalo City School District had certified its own teachers many years ago though it ended about 20 years ago.

"Many of the state’s publicly funded charter schools may soon have the right to certify their own teachers with their own processes. (In some states, charter school teachers don’t have to be certified at all.) The specific proposal is being considered by the board of trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) and a decision will be made shortly. The trustees oversee the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, which authorizes a good number of charter school operators in the state, including the well-known Success Academies charter network."

"There are two ways that charter schools can be authorized and renewed in New York State. The first is through the Board of Regents. Members of the Board of Regents are chosen by the Assembly, which is traditionally controlled by the Democrats. The second is through the SUNY Charter School Institute, which is controlled by the SUNY Board of Trustees. The SUNY board has 18 members, 15 of whom are appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate, which is presently under Republican control."

Buffalo Billion and beyond...

Buffalo Billion and beyond...

Buffalo school board election 2016 update

Buffalo school board election 2016 update

Puerto Rico's School Crisis

Puerto Rico's School Crisis

"Since 2014, the Puerto Rican government has closed 135 schools— about 10% of the schools on the island. The results of these school closings are class sizes as large as 40 students. The new law requires the closure of 400 more public schools—30% of the remaining public schools on the island. Additionally, Project 1456 requires that the government turn at least 15% of schools into Lider (charter schools) every three years under the auspices of private control and the education authority. - See more at: http://www.progressive.org/news/2015/11/188428/puerto-ricos-school-crisis#.dpuf

Dr. Betty Rosa new Chancellor Board of Regents

Dr. Betty Rosa new Chancellor Board of Regents

HOMENAJE: A Tribute to Victor Hernández Cruz

HOMENAJE: A Tribute to Victor Hernández Cruz: I get an urgent message from poet Dr.

Q&A with John Starkey, head of Buffalo’s Lafayette High relaunch

Q&A with John Starkey, head of Buffalo’s Lafayette High relaunch

A Western New Yorker for U.S. Supreme Court

A Western New Yorker for U.S. Supreme Court

AFT convention

Going to the AFT Convention as a delegate for the BTF

AFT Convention 2016MONDAY, JULY 18, 2016 - 9:00AM TO THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016 - 12:00PMMINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTERMINNEAPOLIS - See more at: http://www.aft.org/event/aft-convention-2016#.dpuf

The New Federal ESSA Statute: A Step Backward for Fair School Funding

By Michael A. Rebell 

At the end of 2015, Congress finally enacted a new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which now will be known as the Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA). Our highly polarized Congress was eight years late in reconsidering and revising the major federal statute for funding services for students who are “educationally disadvantaged”; the previous version of this law, known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), was scheduled for reauthorization in 2007. Millions of students living in poverty, and English language learners (ELLs), were, in fact, left behind by NCLB. Although ESSA does in limited ways correct some of the shortcomings of NCLB and provide scope for some educational innovations, on balance this new law ignores the real needs of the students it is designed to serve and so is likely to be no more successful than its predecessor in carrying out the aspirations of its title.

Enemies of public education

What enemy or advocacy list are you on in public education? Before Diane Ravitch had become a spokesperson and writer exposing the reform agenda of several of these enemies of public education, she had been part of the reactionary forces espousing its ideas until like the prodigal daughter returns to be one of its fiercest advocates today.
Here is the list.

Attendance BPS Citizen Action Community Meeting

Attendance BPS Citizen Action Community Meeting

Lawsuit accuses Achievement First of failing to provide mandated services

As more charter schools are challenged in courts for failing to provide  students a free appropriate education, their modus operandi have come under scrutiny as parents increasingly become more aware of their rights and the lack of compliance and accountability in these schools.
Achievement First Crown Heights in Brooklyn, New York a network of charter schools, along with the NYC Department of Education and NYS Education are named in a lawsuit filed on behalf of five children , alleging the charter school failed to provide mandated special education supports while punished the children for behavior associated with their disabilities.

Vote Maria Rosa write-in candidate Lexington Co-op

Vote Maria Rosa write-in candidate Lexington Co-op

Northeastern US states seek to cut public worker pensions - World Socialist Web Site

Northeastern US states seek to cut public worker pensions - World Socialist Web Site