Q Comp not expanding this year

The K-12 education policy bill that Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law earlier this week did not include money to expand Q Comp to all of Minnesota.  The program, also known as “Quality Compensation,” is T-Paw’s pet plan that links teacher pay to a combination of their student’s performance on the MCA tests, and participation in professional development.  As a 2008 investigation from the state’s non-partisan Legislative Auditor highlighted, the program is too young to know if it actually improves teacher quality or student performance.  MPR’s Tom Webber has the story.

Filed under: Minnesota, Achievement Gap, Education, Education Policy, Education Reform, Q Comp, Teacher Quality, Tim Pawlenty

Conference Committees and Education Funding — Why I love MN Budget Bites

They sit in conference committees so we don’t have to.  I admit, I’m a bit of a wonk (My weekend reading will be pouring over a big chunk of data from Minneapolis Public Schools that accompanied the administration’s original proposal), but even I try to avoid legislative sessions like the plague.  Fortunately, there’s Minnesota Budget Bites, who’ve got a very readable rundown on the three competing E-12 budget proposals from the House, Senate, and Governor Tim Pawlenty, that are being hashed out in conference committee this week and next.   Some highlights:

• Use of federal stimulus dollars
• Dollar figures for several reform innitiatives, including the House’s New Minnesota Miracle ($0 — they just want to put the funding formula into law, so it can slowly be phased in from 2014 on), and T-Paw’s expansion of the Q-Comp pay-for-performance program and financial rewards for districts that raise students’ test scores ($91 million for the latter, an unnamed combo of state and increased local contributions for the former)
• Local property tax relief 

Filed under: Minnesota, Budget Crisis, Education, Education Funding, Education Reform, Mindy Greiling, Minnesota, Q Comp, Stimulating Stimuli, Tim Pawlenty

School Restructuring, Structural Racism and the Suspended Principal (UPDATED)

Tim Cadotte (photo: MPS)

Chris Stewart certainly doesn’t mince his words when talking about race.  Tim Cadotte, until yesterday the principal of Burroughs Elementary, found that out when Stewart paid a routine, although unannounced visit to the school a few days ago as part of his duties as a member of the Minneapolis Board of Education.  At least one Board member is supposed to visit every school in the district each year, to check on the school in-person.  I’ll bet that Cadotte flew off the handle at Stewart when the latter accused him, his school, and his Site Council (a PTA-like body) of racism for trying to get an English-Language Learners program re-instated.  Burrough’s old ELL program served mostly Spanish-speaking Latino students.

 

Wait.  What?  ELL programs = racism?

Filed under: Minneapolis, Achievement Gap, Chris Stewart, Education, Education Policy, Education Reform, Minneapolis Public Schools, Restructuring, Segregation

Thursday’s Schools Roundup – Anti-bullying legislation / Loopholes and fuzzy stimulus guidance / Liberian ed reform

• Another school district goes to the 4-day week to save money, without cutting staff. (Bemidji Pioneer)
• A propos of the anti-bullying before the legislature (that comes up for a vote soon), an Ohio family is suing their son’s school district for failing to stop the homophobic bullying that led their 17-year-old to shoot himself in the head in 2006.  The family is seeking to force the district to institute an anti-bullying program.  (Minnesota Independent)  Via TowleRoad comes the story of a sixth-grader in Springfield, MA, who hung himself after school officials failed to address the bullying or its emotional impact. (Springfield Republican)  
• St Paul Public School students have won their fight to ban candy cigarettes, saying they promotes youth smoking.  (Star-Tribune)
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar is holding hearings around the state about NCLB reform (see the bottom of the page).
• As the announcement of this year’s Broad Prize winner draws near, the folks at Change.org remind us of the prestigious education prize’s sordid history.  (Change.org)
• An editorial in today’s NY Times accuses the federal government of leaving too many loopholes in the education portion of the stimulus package, and the Fordham Foundation’s education blog reviews the extremely fuzzy metrics governing how states can spend this money. (NY Times / Flypaper / Ed.gov)
• From Minnesota’s own Liberian Journal, a neat (but short) essay on the reforms needed in war-torn Liberia’s education system.

Today’s recipe: vegan Carrot-Parsnip Soup (Poor Girl Gourmet).  I hope the next time I make this, I don’t get almost-struck by lightening like that!

Filed under: Minnesota, National, St Paul, "Safe Schools for All" Bill, Education, Education Funding, Education Reform, LGBT, Minnesota, News, St Paul Public Schools, Stimulating Stimuli

Monday Schools’ Roundup – Sickening Budget Crisis / Integration Woes / Ed Reform in China

 

Flickr/ingirogio

Today, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.  First, the bad:

 

• MPR points out that between them, Minnesota public and charter public schools have around $1 billion in reserves, an unprecedented amount.  Some state legislators argue that this means they can handle a deferred payments from the state, or a cut in the education budget as legislators try to plug the $4.5 billion hole in the state budget.  (MPR)
• Why is this bad? because some schools, like the St. Louis County schools, in the Iron Range, are so desperate for funds, they’re closing schools.  This re-organization, though, might mean the district will loose up to $2.1 million in sparsity aid (given to schools that draw students from a very wide area).  “We can envision no scenario that would keep the district out of statutory operating debt without sparsity aid,” said a consultant helping the district. (Mesabi Daily News / Timberjay Newspapers)
• Meanwhile, St. Cloud schools are considering raising taxes to fill their deficit, and Mendota Heights school leaders are taking a pay freeze, and schools in Michigan are skeptical that federal stimulus money – intended to help schools stave off budget crises – will help, or even be accepted by most schools because it has so many strings attached. (St Cloud Times / Pioneer Press / Adrian Daily Telegram)

Now, the good news!

• The federal government is considering simplifying the colelge student financial aid process. (MN Daily)
• Fargo-Moorehead students are back in class after spending two weeks manning the levees on the Red River (Associated Press)
• Many metro-area districts are echoing Minneapolis Schools’ complaints that current integration efforts like the West Metro Education Program are not working.  This may sound like a death-knell for these integration efforts, but it also means there is an energy that can be channeled for reform and progress.

Lastly, China considders reforms to their higher education system (BeijingReview.com.cn), and the NY Times’ Room for Debate blog gives five common food myths.

Filed under: Minneapolis, Minnesota, National, Budget Crisis, Education, Education Funding, Education Reform, Minnesota, Segregation, Stimulating Stimuli

Schools Round-up: Washburn Wins / Charter Pay / Schools in Legal Trouble / Delicious Eggplant

The Washburn Millers
(Photo: MPS/Washburn High)

• First, a big congratulations to Millers Boys’ Basketball team from Minneapolis’ Washburn High School!  At the Target Center this weekend, they beat out Mankato West, 58-45, to win the state AAA high school basketball tournament.  To get there, they beat out St Paul’s Johnson High School, Grand Rapids High School, and the Academy of Holy Angels, a catholic school in Richfield.  This is their first championship win since 1994.  An interesting tidbit — they were coached by Reggie Perkins, a former Harlem Globetrotter. 

Filed under: Minneapolis, Minnesota, National, St Paul, Charter Schools, Education, Education Funding, Education Reform, Food, Hamas, LGBT, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota, News, Religion, Somali, Stimulating Stimuli, Washburn High School

Tuesday Schools Round-Up (3/24/09) — Now With Ouzo-Cured Salmon

 

ouzo cured salmon

Tuesday’s round-up is full of politics, with a rather large side of Ouzo-Cured Salmon, with a side of Carrot Tzatziki.  Sounds kinda cool, right? (the salmon, that is — from KALOFAGAS)

 

The “Safe Schools for All” bill has irked the right-wing Minnesota Family Council for “promoting” homosexuality and gay marriage, according to the Star-Tribune.  The bill sets clear standards and guidelines for schools to follow if a student is bullied because of their sexual orientation,  physical appearance, or poverty.  Current standards protect students from bullying on the basis of  gender, race, and religion.  Proponents of the Safe Schools legislation say the current policy is too vague and lets some districts turn a blind eye to certain kinds of harassment and bullying.  Some great comments — from several sides — in the Strib story’s comments section.

Also at the State House, Education titan Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL – Roseville) lambasted the president of the state teachers’ union for supporting Governor Pawlenty’s proposed education budget, which includes a massive expansion of the Governor’s Q-Comp pay-for-performance plan.  The state’s non-partisan Legislative Auditor recently released a report saying there wasn’t yet enough evidence supporting Q-Comp’s effectiveness to support expanding the scheme.

In local news, a storied St Paul Catholic school is set to close.

The Pioneer Press continues with its illuminating series on school sports, this time highlighting the ways poor students loose out to their better-off peers, whose parents can afford to drive them to practices, or buy them even basic equipment like basketball shoes.

In national news, the Education Wars continue, as they likely will into next year, when a “new NCLB” might hit Capitol Hill.  Dana Goldstein at The American Prospect has a good summary of the politicking between the American Federation of Teachers, reformist leaders like Michelle Rhee of Washington DC and Joel Klein of New York City, and Obama Administration officials.  I’m left wondering where the National Education Association stands.  A side-note: Dan Brown (the teacher, not the DaVinci Code author) and Nick Kristoff debate Rhee’s pros and cons.

Lastly, some humor: the Republican National Committee gets a big donation from the AFT, and the fur flies!  

“What’s next? Accepting money from the National Abortion Rights Action League, Handgun Control, Gay Marriage PACs and George Soros?” asks Steve Lonegan, a Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor.

Filed under: Minneapolis, National, St Paul, "Safe Schools for All" Bill, Education Reform, LGBT, Mindy Greiling, Minnesota, National Issues, NCLB, News

Friday Round-Up Feeding Frenzy

No recipes this week, but a timely trio of tales from the Utne Reader, In These Times, and the American News Project highlight the politics of school lunches. Congress will be re-authorizing the Child Nutrition and WIC Act this year, financing federal school breakfast and lunch programs, plus the food-stamp program. With children – particularly poorer kids – facing all kinds of child obesity problems these days, lawmakers will (pardon the puns) have their plates full sorting things out. One thing’s for sure, says the American News Project, it’s going to be a feeding frenzy for the agricultural-industrial complex.

More Highlights:

• Now this is what I call inspiring. Particularly the first three students – not to detract from the achievements of student #4, of course. But those first three might as well be poster children for the poor urban students of Minneapolis and St Paul, except they look like they’re going to “make it out.” I’ve got nothing but respect for these kids, and the mentors who helped them out.
• Obama hits out at urban school districts for failing to educate their students – but he wants to help them reform! (Washington Post)
• A propos of this: The legislature tries to answer the question: What do you do if you require students to pass a test, but don’t teach them well enough to pass it? (Pioneer Press, TC Daily Planet)
• A boozin’ substitute teacher in St Paul (Pioneer Press)
• Trying to fight the achievement gap, Minneapolis Public Schools, the Minneapolis Urban League, and Front Street Marketing and Communication are working together to recruit poor kids into a federally-funded tutoring program. (Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder)
• Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis tries advertising to draw families back. Ever since Minneapolis and St Paul school officials started talking about needing to draw students away from charters, I’ve wondered when this would happen. Apparently it’s had an effect, says the report. (KTSP)
• The St Paul Federation of Teachers doesn’t like anyone running for school board this year! (Emily Johns/Star Tribune)
• ”Say you retire from a job that involves traveling long distances to dangerous places in order to focus on children and family. What happens when your old job calls you back? Especially if that job involves serving your country in uniform?” (Tell Me More/National Public Radio)

Filed under: Announcements, Minneapolis, Minnesota, National, St Paul, Achievement Gap, Carlos Mariani, Charter Schools, Early Chilldhood Education, Education, Education Funding, Education Policy, Education Reform, Federal Education Policy, GRAD test, Military Moms, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota, President Obama, School Lunches, St Paul Public Schools

MPS will Mend, not End WMEP partnership

As first reported by Patrice Relerford of the Strib, the Minneapolis Board of Education voted unanimously last night to approve a new recommendation from Superintendent Bill Green that MPS not pull out of the West Metro Education Project, a joint venture by Minneapolis and 10 metro-area school districts aimed at decreasing school and school district segregation.

Filed under: Minneapolis, Education, Education Reform, Minneapolis Public Schools, Segregation, WMEP

A puffed pastry filled with Friday Roundup!

(Quick Puffed Pastry Recipe Follows)

According to a Greek friend of mine from high school, whose mother aunt is a professor on Crete, the most under-reported story of last year’s riots was the complete and utter failure of education reform. (Ekathemerini)

As we all know, you can’t have a Gay-Straight Alliance in a school because it’s “disruptive.” Saying the word “gay” causes conservative heads to explode. (AP)
Joel Klein vs. Michael Bloomberg – Gotham school showdown! (NYTimes)

School bus driver tries to crowd-source passenger management (Loudon Extra)

Arne Duncan has hit the pavement, plugging the stimulus package. According to an interview with the Washington Post, it will “help retool” education in America. We shall see. Reading the WaPo story and listening to Duncan on WBUR-Boston’s On Point radio show (shout out to my home town!), I didn’t hear much in the way of hard-and-fast restrictions on aid.

After speaking with a spokesperson from the Minnesota Department of Education last week, I gather there’s going to be a significant amount of “maintenance of effort” requirements – that is, states won’t be able to shift funds from education to cover holes in other parts of the budget, and replace the cut funding with stimulus dollars. And the money is targeted at a number of broad areas, including teacher quality. But it seems that it will be up to individual states and school districts to pick programs, etc. Possibly good, but I haven’t seen anything about how recipients will have to justify their expenditures with hard data. We shall see.

One interesting question – will the stimulus, via the current NCLB regimen, cement “20th century learning?” Would technology help create a better evaluation system? (Speaking of which – so-called 21st century skills like problem-solving, etc. have taken a bit of flack this week) (NPR’s The Takeaway/Marion Barry/EdWeek/Joanne Jacobs)

For those of us with mild procrastination problems (notice I didn’t post this until 3pm today?), a quick puff pastry recipe – unlike traditional scratch recipes, this apparently can be made in an afternoon while trying to avoid assigned reading. Behold, Law Student’s Puff Pastry! (The Basil Queen / Public Radio Kitchen)

Filed under: Announcements, Arne Duncan, Education Funding, Education Reform, News