“Far from a done deal,” but we’re getting closer to dismantling English only/”one size fits all” in MA.
Month: July 2017
Betsy DeVos Is Making “School Choice” Toxic for Democrats
“Conservatives frame privatization as a civil rights issue, but Trump’s extreme agenda is energizing racial justice and public education advocates.”
https://newrepublic.com/article/144003/betsy-devos-making-school-choice-toxic-democrats
Advocates push for school funding hike
“Dozens of lawmakers, teacher union leaders and parents yesterday pushed for the state Legislature to boost state education funding to help cash-strapped school districts.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_politics/2017/07/advocates_push_for_school_funding_hike
In a bid to save $5m, city schools will slice bus routes
Looks what fall will bring: potentially 40 to 50 fewer school buses. 2011 redo?
Charter school advocates refocus, but foes skeptical
The Herald covering Mass Parents United: “The Walton Family Foundation doesn’t represent the [parent] voice,” said Lisa Guisbond of Citizens for Public Schools, referring to MPU.
Boston schools choose new food vendor
Hoping for the best here re. BPS food. Thanks to the Citywide Parents Council, educators and others for pushing hard for healthy food for our kids.
Massachusetts Parents United: Old Wine in an Empty Bottle
Read about Mass. Parents United. Who are they? The state director was former state director for Families for Excellent Schools. Funders? The Walton Foundation and the Longfield Foundation, which also funded Great Schools. Members? They say 7000, but what exactly does “member” mean? Might just mean signing a questionnaire outside the Stop and Shop, where paid staff were canvassing on election day. Lots of questions.
http://blogs.wgbh.org/masspoliticsprofs/2017/7/12/massachusetts-parents-united-old-wine-new-bottle/
Education is focal point in Boston mayoral race
The Nov. Mayoral race and education: nice run down here.
http://baystatebanner.com/news/2017/jul/12/education-focal-point-boston-mayoral-race/?page=1
Changing of the guard
Interview with new BTU President Jessica Tang, where Unified Enrollment is brought up. Thought this was a forbidden subject until after the election?!?
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/changing-of-the-guard/
Cloaking Inequity: Charter Schools: Who Is Working Together to Improve Them?
The NEA just adopted a policy that lays out three criteria charter schools must meet to provide students with the support and learning environments they deserve: (1) charter schools should only be authorized by a local and democratically accountable authorizing entity; (2) there must be empirical assessment of how a new charter school will serve to improve the local public system before any charter enters a community; and (3) charter schools must comply with the same safeguards and standards that apply to neighborhood public schools such as “open meetings and public records laws, prohibitions against for-profit operations or profiteering, and the same civil rights, employment, labor, health and safety laws and staff qualification and certification requirements.”