In Case You Missed It: An evaluations deal; teacher ratings imminent; end to religious services in schools
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest (Monday, February 13th ):
- A WNYC analysis showed that the city high schools with the best progress reports had very few self-contained special education students:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/13/do-high-needs-students-affect-a-schools-grade/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- The City launched “targeted action plans” to help struggling schools…at schools that had already been closed:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/school_closings_not_exactly_open_kRvR6MQFwSgJmgLaOyur7H
- Some middle schools are being told by DOE to take more students with special needs:http://insideschools.org/blog/item/1000254-top-middle-schools-must-take-special-needs-students
- A larger percentage of affluent foreign-born parents send their kids to public school than affluent American parents:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/nyregion/foreign-parents-in-new-york-prefer-public-schools.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- A judge ruled that teachers’ ratings will be released to the public:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/controversial-teachers-ratings-released-article-1.1022488
- As of Tuesday the 14th, the City had not informed the state formally that it would seek “turnaround” actions at 33 of its schools, even though the state education commissioner must apply for the funds to do so:http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/14/month-after-turnaround-news-official-applications-still-not-done/
- A judge issued an injunction halting a ban on off-hours religious services at public schools in the city:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/16/services-in-schools-issue-back-in-court/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- But that injunction was later narrowed to include only the Bronx Household of Faith, leaving about 70 churches around the city without space for Sunday services:http://www.nydailynews.com/news/booted-city-schools-churches-search-homes-article-1.1025790
- The Cuomo and Bloomberg Administrations reached a handshake deal with union leaders over a new teacher statewide evaluation system:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/city-union-reach-deal-teacher-evaluations-article-1.1023747
- The City and UFT also agreed on the details of an appeals process for low-rated teachers at risk of termination:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/easier_to_ax_bad_apples_wuaAwv8andS5nP1znugIs
- Mayor Bloomberg said the teacher evaluations deal will not affect his plan to “turnaround” 33 schools by closing them, replacing half their teachers and re-opening them:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/16/deal-done-mayor-still-plans-to-close-struggling-schools-anyway/
- A new poll showed voters were spit on Gov. Cuomo’s education agenda:http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/voters-split-cuomo-handling-school-issues-article-1.1023292
- The DOE will now give principals and its own human resources staff access to reports of upheld sexual abuse charges against school employees:http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/17/city-announces-new-policy-after-three-separate-sexual-abuse-charges/
In Case You Missed It: Loud Protests, Lots of Closures, Less Support for Bloomberg
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest (Monday, February 6th):
- About three-in-four New Yorkers support Cuomo’s teacher evaluation strategy: http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/06/poll-wide-approval-for-cuomos-plan-to-link-school-aid-to-evals/
- The AFT endorsed Obama early for re-election: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2012/02/aft_endorses_obama_for_2012.html
- A new poll found the strongest disapproval yet of Mayor Bloomberg’s education policies; just 24% polled said they thought mayoral control of schools had been a success, while 57% said it was a failure: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/poll-finds-strong-disapproval-of-mayors-handling-of-schools/
- The City took two schools off the closure list on the eve of the vote: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/08/in-last-minute-reprieve-two-failing-schools-spared/?partner=rss&emc=rss
- The Times endorsed the mayor’s small schools effort: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/09/opinion/successes-of-small-schools.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- A lawsuit seeks to stop a Success Academy Charter school from moving in to Cobble Hill: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/education/155672/brooklyn-parents–education-advocates-take-legal-action-against-proposed-charter-school
- An extremely loud crowd and boisterous PEP meeting of angry parents, students, teachers and advocates ended with all 23 schools on the agenda being shut or truncated: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/tension-high-thousands-crash-brooklyn-hearing-closing-23-schools-article-1.1020238
- A report by the City’s Independent Budget Office showed that the schools up for closure had much higher rates of high-needs students than citywide averages: http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/09/ibo-schools-up-for-closure-tonight-enroll-very-needy-students/
- A new report showed that the achievement gap between affluent and poor students is wider than ever: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/education/education-gap-grows-between-rich-and-poor-studies-show.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper
- The Obama Administration gave 10 states No Child Left Behind waivers: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/education/10-states-given-waivers-from-no-child-left-behind-law.html
- City Council Speaker Quinn proposed making kindergarten mandatory in CIty schools: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204369404577211612576863828.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories
- The Citywide Council on High Schools devoted its monthly meeting to discussing the “turnaround” policy with parents: http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/10/parents-press-for-transparency-on-inchoate-turnaround-plan/
VIDEO: Students Stand Up & Walk OUT for NYC Schools
Video by Justin Watson, student at Legacy HS
Dear Teachers and Principals of NYC,
On February 1st, 2012, students across New York City walked out at 2 P.M to protest school closures and other failed education policies. We, the students, called for this walk out because of many aspects. We pleaded for change and basically have been told no by the DOE. All summed up, we were tired of having to follow the DOE’s unfair policies. It was a completely student-run action fueled by the neglect that we have felt by the Department of Education. While many activist groups in NYC supported our actions and stood in solidarity with us, we were acting as a separate entity and trying to create a space for high school students. We rallied at Union Square and spoke out about our education and the policies that affect us. We feel that these policies are not helping and DOE data doesn’t display progress. Students, teachers, and administrators across New York City are affected by these policies and it’s time for a change. We want to stop many policies including closures of struggling schools.
We know that you were unable to walkout with us at that moment. However, please show your support for our action on this day by not giving us extensive punishment for this infraction. According to the Student’s Bill of Rights, there is a range of possible disciplinary responses and so we hope that you chose a response that does not negatively impact our education.
Please understand that we were not walking out on you. We walked out for you and we hope that one day, you will walk with us too. Thank you so much for your understanding. I would love to emphasize the fact once again that this was not against anyone besides the Department of Education policies that are failing us as a city and as a community.
~ The Students
by Fred Baptiste, PTA Vice-President of PS 161
As a parent of children at PS 161 – The Crown School, a resident of Crown Heights, and a taxpayer, I am strongly against the proposal to truncate of the 6-8th grades at the Crown School and the policy of school closures in general, because it hasn’t shown be a policy that improves student outcomes. As parents and taxpayers we are entitled to access to a quality education right here in our community. I believe as many other parents do, that PS 161 is a good school and that given the appropriate resources our children can achieve and the school can give them the education they need to succeed. This is an issue not specific to just the Crown School.
For many years, PS 161 was considered the ‘Jewel of Crown Heights’ and was a top-rated school. But in recent years there has been a steady decline in test scores. The question that has to be asked is why did the school fall so precipitously? The DOE has presented data to rationalize its decision but to truly understand what is at work, we must take a holistic look at how the school came to this position. It is only by looking at this big picture can we begin to understand where things have gone wrong, and what we need to do to make it right. Read more…
In Case You Missed It: Mayoral candidates take aim at closures; Walcott shouted down; Bloomberg budget better for schools
Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the oldest (Monday, January 30th):
- Assemblyman Keith Wright announced he would seek to introduce legislation repealing mayor control because the potential closure of the historic Wadleigh school in Harlem was “the last straw” after years of school closures under the current administration: http://www.politicker.com/topics/schoolyard-showdown/
- Chancellor Walcott testified in Albany that the state’s teacher evaluation law was “broken”: http://gothamschools.org/2012/01/30/walcott-calls-state-evaluation-law-broken-during-lobbying-trip/
- Four of the five top-polling candidates for mayor criticized Mayor Bloomberg’s school closings policy at a City Hall press conference; and Speaker Quinn (the fifth) added her concerns as well in a statement: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/mayoral-hopefuls-school-closings-flawed-article-1.1014844
- The state’s principals’ union head slammed the mayor’s “turnaround” plan to fire half the teachers at 33 City schools: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/principal-union-president-condemns-mayor-michael-bloomberg-plan-shut-troubled-city-schools-article-1.1015784
- Chancellor Walcott was forced to cut short a town hall meeting at Evander Childs school in the Bronx when angry students interrupted his appearance with chants about the mayor’s “failed education policies”: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/dennis-walcott-abruptly-ends-meeting-bronx-high-school-angry-students-interrupt-article-1.1015110
- The Department of Education’s communications director is leaving to be Rupert Murdoch’s right-hand woman: http://gothamschools.org/2012/01/31/does-press-chief-leaving-to-become-rupert-murdochs-top-aide/
- Hundreds of high school students from three boroughs staged a walk-out and Union Square rally to protest the mayor’s schools closings: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/education/155290/students-stage-walkout-to-protest-school-closures
- Students and parents at ABCD academy in Brooklyn protested the move to close their six-year-old school: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/education/155231/brooklyn-all-boys-school-may-be-first-on-doe-list-to-close
- Bloomberg made his initial budget pitch for FY13, avoiding the deep cuts of past years but adding no new spending reforms demanded by parents and advocates: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/02/bloomberg-spares-education-department-from-budget-cut/
- The City released data on the student populations of closed schools, showing graduation rates and test scores increased for those students; advocates disagreed: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/schools-closing-poor-performance-plenty-students-city-department-education-article-1.1015798
- SUNY trustee Pedro Noguera resigned from the board citing unclear state policy and a poorly managed charter school approval system: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204652904577197550308368954.html?mod=WSJ_NY_News_LEFTTopStories
- Gompers students took over their closure hearing and made demands of top DOE officials: http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/03/impassioned-students-paint-dismal-picture-at-gompers-hearing/
- The principal of besieged Harlem arts mainstay Wadleigh announced she will leave her job immediately if the Panel for Educational Policy votes to close the school on Thursday, as expected: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/03/wadleighs-principal-leaving-as-city-plans-elimination-of-middle-grades/
- Parents and students at PS 161 are planning a one-day boycott for Monday: http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/02/to-protest-losing-middle-grades-p-s-161-parents-plan-a-boycott/
- Students at schools on the chopping block share their reasons for protesting closures: http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/02/high-school-students-tell-mayor.html
