Thursday, April 18, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Buffalo School Board Elections: Happenings, Forums and Fundraisers
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| Maria Rosa, Editor-in-chief, Buffalo City Express News |
Leave a comment here if you know of any event in the community about the School Board Elections, happenings, forums or fundraisers and don't forget to check out the banners in the advertising section for real time exposure online at the Buffalo City Express News.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Buffalo School board elections: some endorsements
Buffalo School board elections: some endorsements
Check out as the endorsements are coming in for the candidates running for the Buffalo Board of Education elections so far this year. And view the profile pages of three new candidates in the Park, West and North Districts that appeared on Facebook. Find out what is the most contentious School Board battle ground this year... in the Buffalo City Express News powered by Zoom Village.
Check out as the endorsements are coming in for the candidates running for the Buffalo Board of Education elections so far this year. And view the profile pages of three new candidates in the Park, West and North Districts that appeared on Facebook. Find out what is the most contentious School Board battle ground this year... in the Buffalo City Express News powered by Zoom Village.
Memo widespread test cheating DC schools under Michelle Rhee
Memo warns of rampant cheating in D.C. public schools
As far back as 2009, a memo surfaced warning Michelle Rhee of widespread test cheating in DC public schools when she was chancellor. Instead of investigating the findings of the high erasure rates across the district, Rhee fired teachers and principals for the student low scores on DC assessments.
Rhee was too busy awarding perks and bonuses to those with the highest gains in the assessments that were really erasures according to the newly released reports.
The public wonders when is Michelle Rhee going to be held accountable for this in as much as she still in the limelight as a school reformer through her newly created Students First organization better named Rhee First?
As far back as 2009, a memo surfaced warning Michelle Rhee of widespread test cheating in DC public schools when she was chancellor. Instead of investigating the findings of the high erasure rates across the district, Rhee fired teachers and principals for the student low scores on DC assessments.
Rhee was too busy awarding perks and bonuses to those with the highest gains in the assessments that were really erasures according to the newly released reports.
The public wonders when is Michelle Rhee going to be held accountable for this in as much as she still in the limelight as a school reformer through her newly created Students First organization better named Rhee First?
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
13 prospective Buffalo School Board candidates filed petitions
The Buffalo School Board elections jump started with the 13 prospective candidates filing nominating petitions this week. Surprisingly, Sharon M Belton-Cottman, Ferry District Rep. is running unopposed though two other candidates had been announced previously.
It appears the charter school proponents are just as aggressive as in previous School Board elections though it's hard to determine who they are except for James Sampson, president and CEO Gateway-Longview/and chairman of the county's control board. He was a founding member of the West Buffalo Charter School and President of Buffalo ReformED. And he was an unsuccessful former candidate for an at-large School Board seat and board member of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
One thing for sure it's a smorgasbord made up of challengers from the District Parent Coordinating Council, Citizen Action, Buffalo ReformEd and others.
The race is a highly politicized one with prospective candidates either supporting charter schools or for public education. There appears to be an aggressive move by the charter proponents to carry out their agenda of turning Buffalo Public Schools especially those the state listed as low performing or "priority" schools into charters.
But it's not time to speculate what is going to happen yet in a race where certainly challenges to many of the petitions especially of the newcomers on to the school board races are disqualified for one reason or other. So expect, the legal battles to play out in court until the candidates are whittled down and the school board forums begin and until the voters elect either the incumbents or new candidates to the Board in May.
It appears the charter school proponents are just as aggressive as in previous School Board elections though it's hard to determine who they are except for James Sampson, president and CEO Gateway-Longview/and chairman of the county's control board. He was a founding member of the West Buffalo Charter School and President of Buffalo ReformED. And he was an unsuccessful former candidate for an at-large School Board seat and board member of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
One thing for sure it's a smorgasbord made up of challengers from the District Parent Coordinating Council, Citizen Action, Buffalo ReformEd and others.
The race is a highly politicized one with prospective candidates either supporting charter schools or for public education. There appears to be an aggressive move by the charter proponents to carry out their agenda of turning Buffalo Public Schools especially those the state listed as low performing or "priority" schools into charters.
But it's not time to speculate what is going to happen yet in a race where certainly challenges to many of the petitions especially of the newcomers on to the school board races are disqualified for one reason or other. So expect, the legal battles to play out in court until the candidates are whittled down and the school board forums begin and until the voters elect either the incumbents or new candidates to the Board in May.
Superintendent Brown launches the "Buffalo Way," looking for a few "chiefs" to add to her cabinet
In her effort to reorganized her central office leadership team, Super Pamela Brown is looking for few good "chiefs" willing to work under an exempt contract status.
Interestingly, Brown is looking at the "exempt" leadership model criticized during the tenure of former Superintendent James Williams for being too top heavy at 28 employees in this category. It provided Williams flexibility to hire a team that he liked but that did not necessarily meet the requirements of the postings, because these positions did not need Buffalo Board of Education approval.
During the tenure of Interim Super Amber Dixon she promised to whittle down the exempt employees, while some left others were shifted to other positions with less pay but contract status in the district. Nevertheless, Super Brown has other ideas to "reduce inefficiencies," and to "do more with less." Her plan involves building a central office leadership team more responsive to the principals and school buildings in her effort to change "inefficiency and low morale."
The present cabinet members term expire in June and Brown and Dr. Mary Guinn, her newly appointed interim Deputy formerly a Gary Indiana School District superintendent whose term also ends on June 30th is helping interview the prospective newly hired cabinet members for central office. And a national search for candidates for these positions is in the works as well. Also, four newly created positions for "supervising principals" were created with a focus on an earn autonomy model. It's an ambitious plan, so it's now a wait and see what happens to how Super Brown new at being a superintendent of schools herself is successful at molding and shaping the Buffalo Schools in the direction she best believes it should go.
Interestingly, Brown is looking at the "exempt" leadership model criticized during the tenure of former Superintendent James Williams for being too top heavy at 28 employees in this category. It provided Williams flexibility to hire a team that he liked but that did not necessarily meet the requirements of the postings, because these positions did not need Buffalo Board of Education approval.
During the tenure of Interim Super Amber Dixon she promised to whittle down the exempt employees, while some left others were shifted to other positions with less pay but contract status in the district. Nevertheless, Super Brown has other ideas to "reduce inefficiencies," and to "do more with less." Her plan involves building a central office leadership team more responsive to the principals and school buildings in her effort to change "inefficiency and low morale."
The present cabinet members term expire in June and Brown and Dr. Mary Guinn, her newly appointed interim Deputy formerly a Gary Indiana School District superintendent whose term also ends on June 30th is helping interview the prospective newly hired cabinet members for central office. And a national search for candidates for these positions is in the works as well. Also, four newly created positions for "supervising principals" were created with a focus on an earn autonomy model. It's an ambitious plan, so it's now a wait and see what happens to how Super Brown new at being a superintendent of schools herself is successful at molding and shaping the Buffalo Schools in the direction she best believes it should go.
Buffalo teachers step case over Federal Court ruled
The Buffalo Teachers Federation President's Report of March 26, 2013, reported the eight-year-old step case battle is over as per the ruling of the Federal Court.
The Buffalo City School District now has over $75 million dollars in its coffers as a result this favorable ruling.
The district set aside this money in case the BTF prevailed in its 8-year battle, but they get to keep the money. So there shouldn't be any lay-offs of teachers for 2013-14.
With the step case behind us now, it's time for contract negotiations to start again and the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) scheduled sessions for April 22 and 26.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Michelle Rhee a public school parent sends her own to private elite school
Michelle Rhee moved to Nashville, Tennessee closer to ex-hubby a states education commissioner, while She enrolled one of her own children in an elite private school. When an online newspaper asked whether her children attended a public or charter school three months ago, Rhee responded simply that She was a "public school parent."
Public education reformer Michelle Rhee not completely a ‘public school parent’ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/public-education-reformer-michelle-rhee-completely-public-school-parent-article-1.1302949?localLinksEnabled=false
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Buffalo school board elections drawing big money
Buffalo school board elections drawing big money
About 12 or 13 running for Buffalo School Board seats.....check out who they are?
About 12 or 13 running for Buffalo School Board seats.....check out who they are?
Monday, March 4, 2013
Sequester cuts in education
President Barack Obama signed the Budget Control Act of 2011, and on Friday he signed an order authorizing the government to begin canceling $85 billion from federal accounts for this fiscal year. Here what it means for education:
Education
$633 million cut from the Department of Education’s Special Education programs
$184 million cut from Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research
$71 million cut from administration at the Office of Federal Student Aid
$116 million cut from Higher Education
$86 million cut from Student Financial Assistance
Here is letter Obama administration Deputy Director for Management Jeffry D. Zients sent to Speaker of House of Representatives John A. Boehner
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Whitney Tilson (3rd background)
"Let’s be honest: we need a lot more well-off, well-educated white folks with a personal stake in both charter schools and education reform in general if we’re going to take reform to the next level, both politically and operationally.Whitney Tilson, hedge fund manager and major funding angel for the school privatizing Democrats for Education Reform, thinks there’s not enough rich, educated white folks.( Preaprez) click photo to his blog.
Arne Duncan
U.S. Secretary of Education, click photo