4LAKids: Saturday, June 26th, 2004

4LAKids: Saturday, June 26th, 2004 In This Issue: • LA Times Opinion: 'LEMON' TEACHERS PLAGUE LAUSD • Daily News: DESPERATE FOR CASH, SOME PRINCIPALS WANT PARENTS TO PAY FOR BASICS + BASIC CUTS NEEDED • LA Times Editorial: LARGESS FOR THE LITTLEST • LA Times · Education meets Politics: STANDING BUSH IN A CORNER • Associated Press: LA SCHOOL BOARD GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO LONG DELAYED CAMPUS • 4LAKids Book Club for June & July –CHOOSING EXCELLENCE: “Good Enough” Schools Are Not Good Enough • GETTING INVOLVED: Coming up next week & What can Y·O·U do? Featured Links: • THE 4LAKids ARCHIVE - Past Issues and added features • MAKING SCHOOLS WORK: Get the Book @ Amazon.com • THE BEST RESOURCE ON CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FUNDING ON THE WEB: The Sacramento Bee’s “Paying for Schools” • FIVE CENTS MAKES SENSE FOR EDUCATION- Target 5¢ from every federal tax dollar for Education Tuesday is the last day of school for A&B tracks on Concept 6 year–round calendars; congratulations to the metriculators and the graduates! Thursday is the first day of School Year 2004-2005 for B&C tracks. I hope all the B track students enjoy their one-day vacations between school years, it makes that "How I spent my Summer Vacation" essay short and simple. Not so for the teachers and staff ...they have to work! I spent last weekend in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The stories in the twin cities were much the same as here: Their school system is crowded, their budget picture is bleak, they’ve begun a construction program. Some schools are doing well and others need to improve. It’s hard to find a good word about No Child Left Behind. They’ve just hired a new superintendent from outside their district. We have to wish them the same luck we need. This week 4LAKids is focused primarily on outside-the- budget funding for children’s issues. • The Daily News article and letter to the editor on how much parents can be asked to make up LAUSD’s budget shortfall is important (see: “Desperate for Cash, Some Principals Want Parents to Pay for the Basics”). The State Ed Code is quite clear on what school districts must pay for - textbooks, paper and pencils; teacher salaries, toilet paper, light bulbs and cleaning supplies. Safety equipment. The current budget often comes close to or below those bare minimums. PTAs and parent groups should pay for things that the school district cannot pay for, not the stuff they should pay for but cannot afford. I agree with the superintendent that for principals to ask parents to pay for the basics goes too far ....but I’ve been in those School Site Council meetings where there isn’t enough Kleenex, paper towels or Xerox paper. When parents are asked to pay for emergency supplies and earthquake kits. I have been asked to contribute and I have; I’ve begged pencils from city council offices! Student safety and emergency preparedness is more important to parents and teachers and the community than academic index growth reports — every time! But not in the budget office. There is a move afoot in the Board of Ed to declare that there are adequate textbooks (an Ed Code requirement). I frankly don’t care if every board member, principal and local district superintendent swears on a stack of textbooks that there are enough; if the student’s don’t have the books there aren’t enough! A number of times recently parents and students (student body presidents even!) have appeared before the board to say their schools don’t have the books they need - and board members have disputed that that just isn’t true. It’s far too difficult to get to the board meetings, to find parking and sign up to speak: Why would these people not tell the truth? I doubt they are evildoers. • Sometimes it helps to look at the forest and the trees. There are more issues ariound raising children than just education.. The sorry state of the foster care program is beyond frightening, — the safety net just isn’t there! Children’s health care has been devastated by the collapse of state and county funding. In PTA we see this daily, our Dental and Vision Clinics are reeling from the workload and the lack of funds. In LAUSD the school nurse, sometimes on campus only once or twice a week, is the only medical professional students ever see except for the paramedic and the ER Doctor. This is a failure of government; minimal public health care - especially for children - should be a given. But that what’s given is easily taken away. West Nile – like SARS and the truth – is out there. To this comes the good news of the philanthropy of the California Endowment and their partners (see: “Largess for the Littlest”) in supporting LA County children’s healthcare programs to the tune of $112 million - and in their political activism in opposing “dumb government tricks” like returning $700 million to the feds to reduce the state budget by $233 million - cheating California children out of nearly $1 billion in healthcare! • Saturday’s Times carried a page one feature about presidential politics and No Child Left Behind, reprinted here without comment. (see: “Standing Bush in a Corner”) • At Tuesday’s Board of Ed meeting a final budget for the next school year (It starts this Thursday!) was not approved — but the board revisited the continuing misadventure of the Belmont Learning Complex (Thankfully renamed ‘New High School #11/Vista Hermosa Park’ to spare the original Belmont High School any further embarrassment) and voted to continue. (see: “LA School Board Gives Final Approval to Long Delayed Campus”) • And finally – but leading off – is an LA Times Opinion piece (see: “Lemon Teachers Plague LAUSD”) that addresses well the elephant in the corner of the room,; the one we don’t want to talk about: What to do about those bad teachers we know are out there? —smf LA Times Opinion: 'LEMON' TEACHERS PLAGUE LAUSD VOICES / A FORUM FOR COMMUNITY ISSUES By Alfee Enciso June 26, 2004 – The recent Los Angeles Unified School District vote to cut its mini-districts from 11 to eight is at best a pyrrhic victory for administrators and the teachers union and at worst a continuing headache of teacher isolation and no accountability. This move will save the district $17 million but cut 165 administrative jobs (some of these people will be put in teaching or other campus jobs). In his victorious sound bite, United Teachers-Los Angeles President John Perez said that millions of dollars from these savings could go back to the classroom and pay for basic supplies and services. The problem does not end with the turmoil of people changing jobs: The union has eliminated "Red Team" audits and the "Learning Walk" evaluation process because teachers felt "uncomfortable" and "humiliated" by them. Granted, many schools and mini-districts did execute these practices poorly, but selling a car because it hits a few potholes doesn't make sense either. So how will we hold teachers accountable when they don't perform? By "winning" this battle of symbolic politics, we lose the focus on getting teachers to look at student work, collaborate and share lesson plans. Michael Fullan, in his book "The Moral Imperative of School Leadership," states that "nothing undermines the motivation of hardworking teachers more than poor performance in other teachers being ignored over long periods of time. Not only do poor-performing teachers negatively affect the students in their classes, but they also have a spillover effect by poisoning the overall climate of the school." A case in point would be the efforts of several teachers at a Westside school to get rid of a teacher who showed films weekly, played games daily and mouthed inappropriate and suggestive lines to his students. After two years of administrative and teachers' efforts, the teacher was removed. This is the big secret our union won't let out: One of the major issues for teachers is not blue-collar issues of wages and benefits, but rather having to work alongside a colleague who has no business teaching kids. Several years ago, when former union chief Day Higuchi asked his members if they knew of an incompetent teacher, all in the audience raised their hands, some even pointing to others in the crowd. Despite such a referendum, nothing has been done about the problem. The dance of the lemons is the same for administrators. The school district and the ALA, the administrators union, are still entrenched in hiring administrators piecemeal. Principals, in effect the head coaches of their schools, are forced to work with whoever is already on board. Imagine Bill Parcells being hired to coach the Dallas Cowboys but being unable to hire his own staff, which would share his philosophy. One way to change this system is to put all assistant principals, counselors and head counselors into a district pool. The principal of each school could interview and recruit his or her own staff and be off and running when the semester starts. As the new assignments and mini-district changes play out, the union and the district need to tackle the tougher and more pressing issues of education. * Alfee Enciso is a literacy coach for the LAUSD. Daily News: DESPERATE FOR CASH, SOME PRINCIPALS WANT PARENTS TO PAY FOR BASICS + BASIC CUTS NEEDED By Jennifer Radcliffe Los Angeles Daily News Staff Writer Sunday, June 20, 2004 - Stung by the Los Angeles Unified School District's steep budget cuts, a handful of principals have asked parents for donations to help buy basic classroom and cleaning supplies -- a practice that has triggered a heated controversy over whether it's legal, ethical or even fair. Because neither the state nor LAUSD has guidelines for school fund raising, the decision on whether and how to ask parents for money now rests on the shoulders of campus leaders. But Superintendent Roy Romer said that may need to change. It's ethical and legal for principals to ask for money for extras, such as field trips or band uniforms, but parents shouldn't be asked to pay for basics, he said. "I'm not at all comfortable with principals sending out letters saying you have to give private money for me to keep cleaning supplies. I don't like that." Principals should notify the district if they feel their funding shortages are so desperate that they need to appeal to parents for basic materials. "I don't feel that we have to go out with a tin cup and ask for money for cleaning supplies and textbooks," he said. "Call the district superintendent. Call me. I'll get that cured within the day." Principals aren't as clear on the issue: Some say it's the only way to make ends meet, while others are convinced the practice is illegal. And while many parents sympathize with the budget crunch, they worry about the accountability and equity issues that principal-led fund raising could create. "I don't think I'm in favor of them asking for money as a whole like this. How do we know who's going to end up benefiting from this?" asked Monica Paul, a Hamlin Street Elementary School parent who received a letter requesting donations. A June 14 letter from Hamlin Street Principal Betsy Warren asked parents to donate to the school's discretionary fund to help make up for a $50-per-student shortfall. Warren, who is retiring, said the school needs money for aides, cleaning supplies and after-school care. "Please consider the incredible education and experience your children received in the form of a culmination gift to the school," the letter stated. It included a detachable portion where parents could indicate donations ranging from $50 to $250, as well as "other" gifts. The budget problems are compounded by LAUSD's principals' uncertainty about their 2004-05 funding. While the district has cut $550 million from its budget this year, the school board agreed in a series of politically charged debates to return a $50-per-student stipend cut taken last year. Still, some principals, like Warren, are unsure of whether the money will actually materialize. They're also struggling to deal with cuts to specialized state funds and the increased costs that could come with implementing full-day kindergarten. "We're looking at resources and funding to recoup that," Warren said. As far as the board's promise to return the stipend, Warren said, "I can't answer whether it's going to be returned. When it happens, it happens." Because LAUSD recently voted to reduce the number of local districts to eight from 11, it's also been harder for principals to receive accurate information on the budget, said parent Zella Knight. Some might feel that they have no choice but to tackle potential shortfalls themselves. "That's the tone that's been set by the board -- that basically the principals are on their own. It's sad," she said. "Everything has been confusing. It's been rumors." Still, other principals who saw the board's June 8 meeting said they are fully aware that the district decided to return money to campuses, alleviating most of their concerns. "It was very clearly stated there that we were going to get it back," said Noble Avenue School Principal Salvador Rodriguez, adding that he would not ask already impoverished parents to help with budget shortfalls. "I would go back to the district. It's their responsibility to (provide the money) to educate these children. We don't use our parents to raise money." Most principals, however, do accept much-needed support from booster clubs and Parent-Teacher Associations. They say it's not appropriate for principals to be lead fund-raisers. "Ethically, I think it's wrong," said Bob Weinberg, principal of Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies. "You just don't want to be in charge of that. It's much better if you put it in the hands of parents." Plainview Avenue Elementary Principal Pam Worden said she feels that principal-led fund raising violates state laws that require public education to be free. "You cannot ask in elementary school for a parent to provide anything. That's the rules, but you have 450 elementary schools. I'm sure there's people out there doing all kinds of things." State officials said schools are allowed to raise money, as long as the efforts are voluntary. "There's nothing that we're aware of that would prohibit that," said Amy Holloway, an attorney with the California Department of Education. Parent Bernetta Reade said she's dealt with principals with a range of interpretations -- from Worden's hard-nosed stance against asking parents to Warren's active fund-raising efforts. Asking parents for money is "as old as old can be," she said. But Reade and others said principals need to be careful and accountable for the donations. "It's a public institution and, actually, parents have a right to see everything," said Marianela Sardelich, a parent-community facilitator with district A. "I think it's OK if parents know exactly how the money is being spent." Cleveland High School Principal Allan Weiner, who has also sent letters on behalf of his booster club calling for donations, said he counts on fund-raising efforts to help provide extras at his school. Last year, the $8,000 the group raised was used to fund an automated phone system and voice mail for teachers. He also asks parents to pitch in for earthquake preparation supplies and other necessities. "You've got to get the money from somewhere," he said. • Letter to the Editor: BASIC CUTS NEEDED Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - Before parents are asked for money to provide basics to the classroom, the LAUSD must look inside its own organization. Why aren't the top levels of the district taking a pay cut like teachers have in the past? Have the "perks" these administrators get been examined for waste? How many cars and chauffeurs and how much gasoline are being paid for by district when reimbursing for mileage would be more cost-prudent? Why are meetings and seminars held in hotels (some out of state) when empty auditoriums are available? Before even considering asking parents to sacrifice any more of their finances, look at the expenses of the LAUSD board, administration and minidistricts. We are already overtaxed, over-"fee'd" and over-"assessed." Michael Walker Northridge LA Times Editorial: LARGESS FOR THE LITTLEST June 22, 2004 - It seems a bit perverse that the only way some children in Los Angeles can get healthcare is through the kindness of charities. But philanthropists' announcement today that they will donate $112 million over the next three years to expand medical, dental and vision coverage for 150,000 Los Angeles County children is nonetheless extremely welcome. The aim of the charities putting up the money, as California Endowment CEO Bob Ross puts it, is to "fulfill the moral imperative to insure our children." There are also, however, savvy political reasons for the move. One goal is to keep California from squandering federal healthcare dollars in the future. Last year, California returned a whopping $700 million in children's healthcare funding that Congress had set aside for the state. The reason was that legislators weren't sure they could pony up the required 33% in matching funds. Another goal is to twist government's arm into insuring children statewide for the long term. The philanthropists are wagering that the money will encourage other counties in the state to expand their children's health coverage as well. They also hope that once the private dollars run out — the $112 million is a one-time contribution — it will be morally awkward for government to kick the children insured by them off the rolls. A cynic might suggest that because most of the money is coming from charities funded largely by the health industry, this is merely a way to boost insurers' business in the future, but getting more children on the rolls is a highly desirable goal no matter how it happens. As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger put it during the recall campaign, "Every child in California should be insured." Of course, the choices now facing Californians aren't quite that simple. The governor, for instance, recently decided to cut about $900 million from the state's $11-billion share of Medi-Cal spending — a slice that may, among other things, mean terminating future health aid to many elderly and disabled people living at the federal poverty level. Given draconian cuts such as these, some state officials are rightly wondering whether now is the right time to create a statewide version of the generous children's healthcare program the donation would fund in Los Angeles County, which would offer coverage to children in families with incomes of up to about $55,000 a year. There are no easy long-term answers to such questions. In the short term, however, the benefits brought by $112 million are hard to ignore. The money will help meet the governor's goal, while pressuring legislators to at least begin addressing long-term solutions. • LETTERS TO THE TIMES Groups Pull Together for Kids' Healthcare June 26, 2004 - Re "Largess for the Littlest," editorial, June 22: It is important to note that an unprecedented collaborative of philanthropies and organizations provided financial support to make the Children's Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles a reality. In addition to major funders — the California Endowment, L.A. Care Health Plan and First 5 LA — the following are also funding partners: Blue Shield of California Foundation, California Community Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, QueensCare, Unihealth Foundation and the Weingart Foundation. Los Angeles joins counties across the state working to ensure that all of California's kids have access to healthcare. Robert K. Ross MD President, California Endowment Woodland Hills find out more: The Children's Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles website — www.chigla.org LA Times · Education meets Politics: STANDING BUSH IN A CORNER THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE: Foes of the president's reelection bid seek to shape voters' perception of his education record. His supporters cite significant reforms. By Nick Anderson - Times Staff Writer June 26, 2004 WASHINGTON — The new commercial jabs Jeb and George W. Bush, suggesting the Florida governor call on his brother, the president, to "fix No Child Left Behind so Florida's kids can get ahead." In other advertisements, schoolteachers identified as Michelle, Nanci and Rosemary complain that President Bush's landmark education law forces them to "drill students for standardized tests" instead of funding smaller classes and other programs "we know work." These television spots, broadcast in several politically competitive states, are part of an increasingly sharp struggle to shape voter perceptions of Bush's education record — a fight that could have a significant impact on his reelection chances. Their sponsor, a little-known group called Communities for Quality Education, is financed in part by teachers unions. According to data compiled for The Times, the new interest group has spent more on televised political ads this month than any group other than the Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns. An independent monitor, TNSMI/Campaign Media Analysis Group, estimated the interest group's spending at $2.9 million from June 2 through Wednesday. At issue is a pillar of Bush's domestic agenda. The No Child Left Behind law he signed in 2002 required states to test student proficiency in basic skills and set benchmarks for progress in exchange for more federal aid to struggling schools. It marked a high point in his relations with congressional Democrats. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) was a leading proponent of the bill. Sen. John F. Kerry, Kennedy's Massachusetts colleague and now Bush's presumed Democratic challenger, joined 86 other senators in voting for it. But that consensus has frayed. And the growing attacks on No Child Left Behind loom as a potential setback for the president. In 2000, Bush offered himself as a Republican concerned about education and committed to improving public schools. His message undercut a traditional advantage Democrats enjoyed among voters on the issue, polls found, and helped him win support from suburban voters. In 2004, though, No Child Left Behind may not pay Bush a similar political dividend. Education reform "was one of the pieces of 'compassionate conservatism' that Bush actually followed through on in office," said Larry J. Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist. "If the Democrats convince people that Bush has failed there, then it eliminates the major piece of evidence that Bush has lived up to his promise." Polls show the public still ranks Bush near the Democrats on education policy. But a survey for the nonpartisan Educational Testing Service in May and June found deep divisions over the new education law, with 39% of adults viewing it favorably and 38% unfavorably. "So far the public has not embraced these reforms," Democratic pollster Allan Rivlin said, presenting the survey's findings this week at an education forum in Washington. Advisors to Bush and Kerry clashed over school reform at the forum, sponsored by the news journal Education Week and the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media. Bush aide Sandy Kress said the federal law had established "the moral imperative of educating all children." Kerry domestic policy advisor Robert Gordon responded, "President Bush has used education to score political points and not achieve real change." Also this week, Communities for Quality Education launched its ad criticizing the law and the Bush brothers in Florida. The group's previous ads have run in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio — all states closely contested in the presidential election. While much of the campaign has focused on terrorism and the economy, education remains a key concern for many voters. "Education is more than an issue — it's a value for this country," said Republican pollster David Winston. "It's a constant." The National Education Assn., a teachers union helping to fund the ads, is expected to endorse Kerry this year. But the union denies a political motive behind its criticism of No Child Left Behind. "We're looking at it purely from a standpoint of how schools can be successful, how students can be successful," said the association's president, Reg Weaver. Though the jury is still out on whether the law is leading to stronger reading and mathematics performance among students who need the most help, few question that it has produced upheaval and controversy in many school systems across the country. Teachers are not its only critics. Some conservatives resent the federal government's lengthening reach into what had long been predominantly a state and local matter. The law has yielded some eye-catching revelations. In November, more than 26,000 public schools were found to have fallen short of "adequate yearly progress," according to Education Week. That was more than 28% of schools nationwide. In California, more than a third fell short; in Florida, three-fourths. While standards vary from state to state, the law generally requires school districts to pay closer attention to disadvantaged students and offer them extra options, such as private tutoring or public school transfers, when schools fail to advance. The law's architects meant to shake up the educational bureaucracy. But the emerging statistics are unsettling to parents who previously rated their own local schools highly, even if they thought others were in trouble. Some candidates in the Democratic presidential primaries turned No Child Left Behind into a punch line. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, for instance, said voters should "leave George Bush behind." Democrats have opened up another line of attack against the president: that his administration has failed to adequately fund the law. Republicans say Bush has backed record levels of funding for elementary and secondary education — a $12.2-billion-a-year increase from 2001 to 2005. Democrats say annual funding for disadvantaged schools is still $6 billion short of the $18 billion the law authorized. One TV ad by the New Democrat Network, a Washington organization separate from the Kerry campaign, has sought to stoke the funding dispute. "President Bush, why did you break your promise?" a girl asks in Spanish in the ad. Her pitch is aimed at Latino voters, a bloc considered up for grabs. Pollsters say Latinos, more often than many other voters, rate education a top issue. Fighting back, the president's campaign in May ran a TV ad filled with schoolchildren and teachers that praised "the most significant education reforms in 35 years." With mass-circulation e-mails, defenders of No Child Left Behind also are mounting a public relations effort to debunk what they call myths about the law. The latest rebuttal, on Friday from the Business Roundtable, sought to reassure parents that the law did not limit what schoolteachers could teach. Susan Traiman, a Business Roundtable official, acknowledged that the TV ads run by the law's critics have taken a toll. "Anyone watching them who's not informed would think: 'Oh, this is terrible. I don't want kids spending all their time being drilled on tests.' " Associated Press: LA SCHOOL BOARD GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO LONG DELAYED CAMPUS LOS ANGELES - Wed, Jun. 23, 2004 - The school board gave final approval to completing the nation's costliest high school, which was left unfinished four years ago after it was found to sit above dangerous gasses and an earthquake fault. The board on Tuesday certified the environmental impact report for an altered version of the Belmont Learning Complex, now known as the Vista Hermosa project. "The facts are winning over fear," board President Jose Huizar said. The complex in the crowded area just west of downtown will feature a 2,600-seat school, a two-acre soccer field and eight-acre community park. The YMCA and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy will help manage the park and soccer areas. After spending about $175 million, the Los Angeles Unified School District abandoned the partially built school in 2000 after the site, an old oil field, was found to contain toxic hydrogen sulfide and flammable methane gases. The sudden discovery of the problem triggered a two-year probe by Los Angeles County prosecutors. While no criminal prosecutions resulted, District Attorney Steve Cooley declared Belmont "a public works disaster of biblical proportions." Last May, the project was revived and an additional $111 million was approved to finish it. The plan approved Tuesday would demolish two buildings directly above the earthquake fault, add two new ones elsewhere, finish four uncompleted buildings and create the park and soccer field. Pipes and monitoring systems would deal with the gas problems. Completion is expected by May 2007. Local residents urged the board to complete the school, saying it was desperately needed in an area where the current Belmont High cannot handle the load and some students have to be bused for hours to other campuses. "Our classrooms are very overcrowded," Belmont High student Yulia Orozco said. ,"I hope you hear our voices." The board also approved a site to build a 2,300-student high school in unincorporated East Los Angeles. The nation's second-largest district has more than 700,000 students and its population is soaring. It wants to build 80 new schools and expand 79 existing campuses by 2006 to ease overcrowding. 4LAKids Book Club for June & July –CHOOSING EXCELLENCE: “Good Enough” Schools Are Not Good Enough John Merrow - the documentary filmmaker and corespondent behind the Merrow Report series of education broadcasts on NPR and PBS - spoke to the California State PTA convention last month about his take on public education issues. Much of what he said was reported a month ago in 4LAKids (see: May 9th: “NOTES FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE PTA CONVENTION & PARENT SYMPOSIUM IN LONG BEACH”) Merrow’s thinking is further developed in CHOOSING EXCELLENCE (Scarecrow Press, 207pp) — first published in 2001 but is still very applicable today. Some of his thoughts re: charter schools (which at the time were totally unproved) probably need reworking as the data becomes clearer – but his take is 98% on! (‘Choice’ in LAUSD means particpation in the magnet school program - the ultimate choice is often made by a lottery – ‘choice’ becomes a matter of chance!) “Choice” has become a political buzzword in education, often it really means school vouchers and the privatization of public education. Not here. Merrow’s call is for nothing-less-than excellence in education, and his mantra that “‘Good Enough’ Schools Are Never Good Enough” resonates. His critique of multiple choice standardized tests, his description of the roles of parents, students and educators, and his premise that excellence is a choice parents must make – and his step-by-step guide on how to make the choices – are well worth the read. This is good stuff! —smf Get CHOOSING EXCELLENCE from your local library, bookstore - or order it by clicking here. GETTING INVOLVED: Coming up next week & What can Y·O·U do? • COMING UP NEXT WEEK: ____________________________________________________ • Tuesday Jun 29, 2004 South Region Middle School #2 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District J At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Nimitz Middle School 6021 Carmelita Ave. Huntington Park, CA 90255 • Wednesday Jun 30, 2004 Banning New Elementary School #1 Construction Update Meeting 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Fries Avenue School Auditorium 1301 Fries Avenue Wilmington, CA 90744 Central Region Elementary School #17 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District H At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School Auditorium 981 E. 41st Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 *Dates and times subject to change. • SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: http://www.laschools.org/bond/ Phone: 212.241.4700 ____________________________________________________ • LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR: http://www.laschools.org/happenings/ Phone: 213.633.7616 • LAUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION & COMMITTEES MEETING CALENDAR http://www.laschoolboard.org • WHAT CAN Y·O·U DO? ______________________________________________________ • E-mail, call or write your school board member. Or your city councilperson, mayor, assemblyperson, state senator, the governor, member of congress, senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think. • Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school. • Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it! • Get involved at your neighborhood school. Attend a community meeting calendared above. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. BE THERE FOR A CHILD. • Vote. Contact your school board member Scott Folsom is a parent and parent leader in LAUSD. He is Vice President for Education in Los Angeles 10th District PTSA and represents PTA on the LAUSD Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee. He serves on various school district advisory and policy committees and is a PTA officer and governance council member at two LAUSD schools. He is also the elected Youth & Education boardmember on the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council. • In this forum his opinions are his own and your opinions and feedback are invited. • This and past Issues are available – with interactive feedback — at http://4lakids.blogspot.com/ • To SUBSCRIBE e-mail: 4LAKids-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com - or -TO ADD YOUR OR ANOTHER'S NAME TO THE 4LAKids SUBCRIPTION LIST E-MAIL smfolsom@aol.com with "SUBSCRIBE" AS THE SUBJECT. Thank you.

4LAKids: Saturday, June 19, 2004

4LAKids: Saturday, June 19, 2004 In This Issue: • • THIS OMBUDSMAN’S FOR YOU! ...OR IS IT ONBUDPERSON?? • NEA Study: STAGNANT RESOURCES JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SCHOOLS • CALIFORNIA DEBATE ON TEXTBOOK COSTS DRAWS U.S. INTEREST • Opinion on NCLB: WHEN LESS IS MORE • EVENTS: Coming up next week... • 4LAKids Book Club for June & July –CHOOSING EXCELLENCE: “Good Enough” Schools Are Not Good Enough • What can YOU do? Featured Links: • THE 4LAKids ARCHIVE - Past Issues and added features • MAKING SCHOOLS WORK: Get the Book @ Amazon.com • THE BEST RESOURCE ON CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FUNDING ON THE WEB: The Sacramento Bee’s “Paying for Schools” • FIVE CENTS MAKES SENSE FOR EDUCATION- Target 5¢ from every federal tax dollar for Education • Happy Father's Day out there to everyone who is a Dad ...or knows somebody who had one! • Also congratulations to those who have finished up a traditional calendar year - lucky you! • And 'Con-graduations' to the graduates, metriculators and culminators – and their parents, teachers and administrators – education is a team sport and you are all champions! I have been out of town for the end of this week, so this week‘s 4LAKids will be a trifle thinner than usual. This issue had a Wednesday evening deadline ...should something dramatic have happened after that (LOST GOLD MINE FOUND AT BELMONT SITE, CLASS SIZES REDUCED AND TEACHERS SALARIES RAISED – LAUSD SCHOOL FUNDING GUARANTEED FOR NEXT FIFTEEN YEARS!) you won’t read about it here! • THIS OMBUDSMAN’S FOR YOU! ...OR IS IT ONBUDPERSON?? Part of the new restructuring of the District calls for there to be a parent ombudsman/ombudsperson in each of the eight new local districts. Exactly who this person is, what he-or-she does, how they will be selected and who reports to whom is yet to be worked out. If the ombudsperson becomes another layer in the bureaucracy between parents and decision makers that would be a bad thing; If each ombudsperson is an effective communicator and conduit between parents and the district that would be good. And if the appointment of ombudspeople is the full extent of the Districts improved committment to parent outreach we are still in trouble. Stay tuned. — smf The following article is from the March ‘02 Urban Educator: The Journal of the Council of Great City Schools — an organization of urban school district superintendents and boards of education. • OMBUDSMAN – A GROWING PROFESSION IN URBAN SCHOOLS? By Henry Duvall When most Americans hear of an ombudsman, they associate the position with newspapers or government offices — or they’re not sure what it is at all. Louisville’s Courier-Journal became the nation’s first newspaper to create the post in 1967, which is the same year the State of Hawaii established the first public sector office. Citizen demands for civil rights and good government in the mid-‘60s spearheaded efforts to create an independent entity to address the aggrieved and advocates for open government. More than 30 years later, the position of ombudsman has expanded, and appears to be growing in the nation’s big-city public school systems, where reform efforts have driven demands for increased accountability. “The public school ombudsman position has proliferated over the last 10 years,” says Dan Rodriguez, chairman of the U.S. Ombudsman Association’s public education chapter. As a measure of growth, Rodriguez, who serves as ombudsperson for Minnesota’s Saint Paul Public Schools, has seen the USOA education group grow from four to six school districts represented two years ago, when the chapter started, to 12 today. So, what is the role of a public school ombudsman? In Rodriguez’s position, he receives, reviews, investigates, and responds to complaints lodged against the school district from parents, students and others who may question district personnel actions, policies or procedures. Working in the Saint Paul school system’s communications department, Rodriguez serves as an independent, impartial third party to help families find a solution to a problem, and reports to the superintendent. “My job is to facilitate. I don’t have the power to mandate a solution. I have the power to make recommendations,” he explains. • Ombudsman's Goal “The goal is to come up with a solution that meets the complainant’s needs, using the art of mediation and persuasion,” he emphasizes in an Urban Educator interview. Rodriguez notes that people call quite angry and upset sometimes, and that he receives several calls a day. He handled nearly 300 cases last year, ranging from student discipline issues to concerns about teachers acting inappropriately. Complaints can come through the district’s 24-hour “comment line” or web site in addition to direct telephone calls to him. His work, however, does not replace the school district’s grievance procedures or other appeal processes. Besides Saint Paul Public Schools, other big-city school districts that have ombudsmen include Chicago, Little Rock, Fort Worth as well as three in Ohio – Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, according to Rodriguez. He also points out that there are other individuals and offices in school districts that do similar work as ombudsmen but don’t use the ombudsman title. He says, as an example, that Seattle Public Schools has an office of customer service. In Dayton, the ombudsman’s office was founded by the county, city commissioners and elected school board some 30 years ago as a multi-jurisdictional office that takes complaints from citizens regarding any government agency on issues ranging from school matters to nursing home complaints, as well as tax and transportation issues. Diane Welborn, ombudsman for Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, notes that independence and impartiality are key elements for the ombudsman to conduct investigations of complaints. “The more independence the office is given, the better for the citizens,” she stresses. “It does take school board confidence to establish an ombudsman office,” Welborn continues. “It’s a gift to the public. It’s government accountability and a willingness to undergo self-criticism or assessment.” Big Chicago Office In 1995, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s school reform management team created the Chicago Public Schools’ ombudsman office so parents and the public would have an office to call for assistance. Today, the ombudsman’s office also conducts community outreach efforts, with staff members going to city and community events to distribute information. The office features a case management system, which includes a database that gathers information about particular issues. “We handle about 100 cases a month,” says Mary Koblas, director of the ombudsman office, noting that ombudsman service representatives take these cases and can provide language translation. What are the biggest issues the office faces? Says Koblas, “The time of year makes a difference. We handle a lot of enrollment issues, transfers, suspensions, discipline issues, student/teacher relations, transportation, residency or boundary issues.” “For example, in a case about a child having trouble in school fighting and being picked on, after talking to the parent we call the school and ask the teacher and principal what’s been done about the situation,” Koblas explains. “Then we set up a meeting among parent, teacher and principal. We listen to both sides of the story. We get a lot of cooperation from our principals.” Many cases are resolved this way. “Parents want to feel like someone is listening to them,” she emphasizes. The office is equipped to capture problems right away. The district’s main call-in center is connected with the ombudsman office, so when the operator takes the call and there’s a beef, she can turn it over to an ombudsman service representative. The office also features a student hotline for violence prevention and a homework assistance line. “We are really a 24-hour operation,” says Koblas. Concerned about adequate accountability, especially in addressing complaints, the Saint Paul school board in 1997 established the office of the ombudsperson. “The creation of the office was a signal to our citizens that the board cares about their concerns and wants to be sure they are heard and responded to in an objective, respectful manner,” said then-board chair Becky Montgomery in a Minnesota School Boards Association Journal article last spring. Rodriguez responded to an announcement about the newly created position in Saint Paul. He had been studying at a seminary to become a Roman Catholic priest before taking a leave of absence to care for his ailing father in Chicago. It was then that he had met an ombudsman for senior citizens and nursing homes for the state of Illinois. He views his job today as satisfying and rewarding because it gives him the opportunity to resolve issues and work toward keeping the school system accountable to the public. “As an ombudsman, the right thing to do is to make sure families have recourse when disappointed with a school action, policy or official.” As chair of the U.S. Ombudsman Association, Rodriguez believes one of the biggest concerns facing urban school ombudsmen is multicultural issues. In his own district, he has concerns about the Hmong, who come from Southeast Asia and compose about one-third of Saint Paul’s student population. Although he has conducted outreach efforts, he says there are still cultural and language issues. But is there indeed a growing trend in the number of big-city school districts that are creating ombudsman positions? Says chief ombudsman Koblas of Chicago Public Schools, “Urban school districts are becoming more familiar with the term ombudsman. I think there will be an even bigger increase, as it becomes more popular. But a lot of people still don’t know about it. “We have a saying in our office: We spell ombudsman 20 times a day, and explain it a dozen times a day.” - Urban Educator Associate editor Tonya Harris contributed to this report. Website of the US Ombudsman Association: www.ombudsman.org NEA Study: STAGNANT RESOURCES JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Washington, D.C. -- The picture of American education is clear. Investments in public schools are not keeping pace with the needs of our children, according to an education funding report released today by the National Education Association (NEA). Last fall, nearly 400,000 additional children entered the nation's classrooms, representing the 19th consecutive rise in school enrollment. Yet, annual school revenues and spending are stagnant, as is the average salary necessary to attract an estimated 16,000 qualified teachers needed for this wave of students. The report, Rankings & Estimates: Rankings of the States 2003 and Estimates of School Statistics 2004, shows slight increases from the previous year in the average expenditure per student enrolled in a K-12 school, the average revenue that communities collect for school expenses and the average salary of a public school teacher. The report, which analyzes data from state education departments, suggests that troubled times may lie ahead. State and local governments -- in the midst of budget crises and struggles to comply with the rigid demands of the so-called No Child Left Behind law -- still provide the lion's share of education funding. On average, revenues from those state and local coffers have shown little growth over the past year or over the decade. The average teacher salary has not kept pace with inflation. Since 1993, salaries have actually declined in a third of the country. President Reg Weaver, on behalf of 2.7 million NEA educators, said the annual study begs an answer to two important questions: Can spending keep up with students' needs, and are we focusing our limited resources in the best areas? "Public schools are the cornerstone of our democracy," he said. "We must make them places where students can-and will-succeed. Funding is fundamental to reform." Weaver added that financial sanctions, expensive bureaucracy and mandatory testing required by the federal law threaten to drain scarce state and local school resources and hinder the ability of public schools to keep quality educators and maintain vital student services. "Too often, educators are asked to fulfill an important mission, but they are not given the support and compensation to remain in the profession," Weaver said. "It is unrealistic to expect student achievement to improve while cash-strapped states and local districts are forced to lay off public school employees or eliminate enriching classes and activities." NEA continues to praise the goals of No Child Left Behind, but called on policymakers to support reforms with proven track records: reduced class sizes, early childhood education, parental and community involvement, professional development for educators and after-school programs. The Rankings and Estimates report has presented statistics on school spending, revenues and staff salaries since the late 1960s. Key Facts from this year's report: National: * The average expenditure per-student in K-12 public schools was $7,875 in 2002-03, a 4.6 percent rise over the previous year. In comparison, spending for this school year, 2003-04, was estimated to increase by 3.6 percent. * The average public school teacher salary for 2002-03 was $45,891, a 2.8 percent increase over the previous year. In comparison, the average salary for this school year, 2003-04, was estimated to increase by 2.0 percent. * The average local, state and federal government revenue per K-12 student in fall enrollment, 2001-02 was $8,718. Total revenues for public schools increased 4.3 percent in 2002-03 from the previous year. Totals for 2003-04 were estimated to increase just 4.9 percent from the previous year. State: * States with the highest per-pupil spending for 2002-03: New York ($11,588), Connecticut ($11,378), New Jersey ($11,103), Massachusetts ($10,353) and Delaware ($10,270). * Lowest per-pupil spending for 2002-03: Utah ($4,907), Arizona ($5,197), Alabama ($5,418), Arkansas ($5,789) and Mississippi ($5,822). * States with the highest average teacher salary for 2002-03: California ($56,283), Connecticut ($55,367) and New Jersey ($54,158). * Lowest average teacher salary for 2002-03: South Dakota ($32,416), North Dakota ($33,869) and Mississippi ($34,555). * Average teacher salaries declined in 18 states over the past 10 years in real, inflation-adjusted dollars. The largest declines were Alaska (-16.6%), Connecticut (-10.3%), Kansas (-9.9%), New York (-7.7%), Wisconsin (-6.7%) and Vermont (-6.7%). The full report, "Rankings & Estimates: Rankings of the States 2003 and Estimates of School Statistics 2004," (PDF, 127 pages, 1 MB) CALIFORNIA DEBATE ON TEXTBOOK COSTS DRAWS U.S. INTEREST • The debate described is made even more important by California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell's inititiative to get the state into the business of approving high school texts - right now their authority ends at eighth grade. For more background and detail into the power and practices of textbook publishers please read: "The Language Police" by Diane Ravitch. - smf By Jessica Portner from the Dan Jose Mercury News, Jun. 12, 2004 Cost-conscious school districts around the country are watching closely as the California Senate prepares to debate a bill this month that would compel the state's board of education to weigh price for the first time when adopting new textbooks. With 6 million public school students, California is the second-largest market in the $4 billion national textbook-publishing industry. A discount secured in California would have a ripple effect on some smaller states that routinely purchase books tailored for California because they lack the financial size and clout to commission texts specifically for them. The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph Canciamilla, D-Martinez, is set for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee on June 23. It was prompted by a 2002 Mercury News investigation that revealed the cost of state-adopted textbooks nearly tripled in the previous decade -- largely because the state board failed to negotiate for the best price. The bill already has passed the Assembly on a 50-10 vote. ``If California can negotiate so the price goes down, everyone will benefit,'' said Jody Gehrig of the Denver public schools, which had to seek a bond to pay for schoolbooks this year. For years, state board members have determined what academic standards and content -- from Shakespearean sonnets to robotics -- belong in textbooks. School districts must abide by those choices if they use state money to buy the texts. The bill being debated would explicitly add cost to the decision-making equation -- meaning the state, for the first time, might choose a cheaper book that is almost as good as a more expensive one. Publishers, who are lobbying hard in Sacramento against the measure, said the bill could force some booksellers to abandon the California market. ``This would trigger a national reaction that could cost us millions,'' said Stephen Driesler, the executive director of the Association of American Publishers. A multi-state compact called ``Most Favored Nation'' prohibits booksellers from charging a different price for the same book sold in other member states. The legislation is ``an idea with many downsides.'' The bill, AB 2455, also mandates that publishers offer a 30 percent discount on second sets -- allowing schools to give students books to take home and keep a spare set for use in the classroom each day -- and asks them to submit new English and math titles to the board every eight years instead of six. This new schedule would delay by two years the ability publishers have to raise prices when new books are adopted. Don Iglesias, the superintendent-elect of the San Jose Unified School District, said savings are critical at a time when the state budget deficit has prompted schools to choose among scrapping art classes, sacking librarians or waiting another year or two to buy new textbooks. ``We aren't asking for anything outrageous,'' said Iglesias, ``just a quality product at a reasonable price.'' The 2002 Mercury News analysis of state records showed that sixth-grade English/language arts textbooks cost $20 in California a decade before. By 2002, the price had jumped to $57, outpacing the rate of inflation and the spike in Bay Area home prices in the 1990s. Driesler said textbooks are expensive in California because they must be fashioned for the state's rigorous academic standards. ``It not like buying some suit off the rack,'' he said. ``Customized textbooks mean additional costs. That's the trade-off.'' If the bill passes, California wouldn't be the first state whose textbook decisions dictate what districts pay or students read in schools hundreds of miles away. Other large states that adopt texts on a statewide level -- notably Texas -- have a huge influence. Sometimes, Texas' books have been criticized for what's between the covers. This year, the Texas board of education decided to include the discussion of creationism alongside evolution in its science books, which prompted some other consumers of Texas-approved books to bristle. But as major player in the textbook market, Texas also sets a maximum price for the books it buys, which is good news to schools and districts that buy books created originally for Texas. ``We have been dogmatic in holding the price down,'' said Alma Allen, a Texas state school board member. ``I would be glad to see California do that. Hopefully, lots of other states will follow.'' Bud Williams, a deputy superintendent of Montana's education department, said cost savings decided in Sacramento could mean more materials for that state's 150,000 students. ``Our budgets have gotten tighter and tighter,'' said Williams, whose districts choose their titles from publisher's catalogs that market some California-tailored books to other states. ``If textbook companies have to be mindful about cost, prices across the country will change.'' Several members of the Senate Education Committee who are poised to consider the bill are initially supportive. ``We have a limited budget,'' said Sen. Dede Alpert, D-San Diego. ``And if we aren't able to stretch those dollars, that would be a bad mistake.'' Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn, D-Campbell, noted that throughout debate in the Assembly there was strong backing of the bill. ``Publishers are taking advantage because no one is paying attention,'' she said. ``We have to be more responsible. Taxpayers are demanding it.'' Opinion on NCLB: WHEN LESS IS MORE • from the current issue of Education Week - American Education's Newspaper of Record: Fewer--but better--tests could give "accountability" real meaning, writes Betty Sternberg, Connecticut commissioner of education. It is 2006. The full testing requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act are kicking in. Across the country, approximately 26 million students in grades 3-8 and one high school grade are being tested. Roughly 1.3 billion test pages—5.8 billion test items—are being pumped out by a handful of testing companies. Compare this to the 2.6 million young people who currently take the SAT and the ACT each year. A stunning 10 times this number will be tested in 2006 to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind law. And what will this massive testing tell us that we don’t already know? Nothing. States that test their students in a consistent, high-quality way already know that, in general, wealthier students do much better than poorer students, nonminority students do much better than minority students, students without disabilities do much better than students with disabilities, and that there are significant gaps between urban, suburban, and rural students. Performance between male and female students varies too, depending on the subject. What do we need, instead, to close the many gaps in achievement we know exist? We need to establish a system of education reform that begins with accountability—a reasonable amount of accountability—and provides to all children programs we know will work to close the achievement gaps. Such an accountability system would allow rich, authentic assessment—more open-ended-response items that require critical thinking and articulate response—rather than multiple-choice-style tests that may be easier, faster, and cheaper to score, but don’t tell us nearly enough about our students. Such items require students to demonstrate deep understanding, and are more reflective of what they will encounter in life beyond the K-12 classroom. Such an accountability system would allow us to continue to disaggregate our data in more ways than are required by the No Child Left Behind legislation—by male/female designation, for example. Most important, it would allow us to continue to emphasize and refine the use of results to change instruction to improve student achievement. This is the essential part of ensuring that gaps in achievement are addressed. Such a system also would allow state education departments and testing companies to determine how to test students using computers. In the area of writing alone, to require the use of the laptop to compose a piece of written work and assess students on their ability to do that, rather than the current practice of having students write using pencil and paper, would cause a revolution in classroom instruction and transform our practice to reflect the real world. Where else, other than the K-12 classroom, do people compose in longhand anymore? Such a practice would require that all students have access to laptops and, thus, would address another gap, the digital divide between richer and poorer children. Assessment is useful only to the extent that we test what is important, reasonable, and challenging. In the 1980s, Connecticut was the first state to incorporate the calculator into parts of its mathematics test. Only then did the calculator become an integral part of instruction. Only then did instruction and assessment reflect the reality of the world beyond the classroom. It is well past time to do this with the computer. But that will require energy and resources now being directed toward creating and administering more of the same tests. I worry, in fact, that with the impending federal assessment requirements, we will not be able even to maintain the same rich assessment system we have developed for grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. Why? The annual testing of every student in seven grades presents an unprecedented crisis in the making. Testing-company insiders will admit that this is an industry whose personnel constantly move from one company to another—with firms "stealing" staffers from each other and from state education departments. Since each state negotiates independently with these companies, no one has looked comprehensively and asked if they have the resources necessary to generate results for 26 million students in a few months’ time. Less, but better, testing would allow us to focus more on creating comprehensive education reform: efficiently and effectively devoting resources to programs that we know work to close the gaps we know are there. There are at least five elements to such a reform. First, numerous studies demonstrate that preschool gives young children what they need to do well in school. In Connecticut, 18,000 children do not attend preschool; 14,000 of them reside in our poorest towns. I would rather take the resources we must devote to creating, scoring, and administering additional tests at grades 3, 5, and 7 (we already test in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10) and establish preschool slots for these youngsters. By lessening the gaps among students before they enter kindergarten, we have a real chance to close the gaps that increasingly manifest themselves over the K-12 continuum. Second, we must listen to and understand the students whose achievement we are trying to raise. What do they and their parents think contributes to success? Given more choices, what kinds of schools would they attend? What kind of support do they need from families, schools, and neighborhoods? Assessment is useful only to the extent that we test what is important, reasonable, and challenging. In one major study, students in Philadelphia identified a caring teacher as most helpful to their academic success. This leads to the third part of a comprehensive approach to closing the achievement gaps. We must attract and retain high-quality teachers in general, and especially in areas (both academic and geographic) that are most challenging. We must attract a teaching force more reflective of our students’ races and cultures. We must attract educators who have the energy, commitment, passion, and belief that all students can learn—educators who signal to students and their parents that it is their responsibility, along with their teachers’ and administrators’ to work hard to achieve at high levels. While the No Child Left Behind law attempts to address teacher quality, for a state like Connecticut its requirements are so minimal that they are essentially irrelevant. Just under 80 percent of our educators have at least a master’s degree. We require substitute teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree, but all regular teachers must earn a master’s within eight years of beginning teaching. We have been testing our prospective teachers since 1989, and we have a nationally acclaimed induction system tied to continuing certification. We pay our teachers well, and in return, we expect them to meet the high standards we have set for entry into and continuation in the profession. So in Connecticut as well as some other states, the baseline issues of teacher quality raised by the No Child Left Behind Act were addressed years ago. It is the tougher issue of attracting and retaining high-quality teachers in light of the impending exodus of teachers that each state and the nation as a whole must urgently address. Over the next decade, about half of Connecticut’s 50,000 educators will retire. The same will happen throughout the nation. This will leave us all with the challenge of meeting a tremendous need while other professions are vying for the same limited number of people. We must think differently about the profession—remake the profession—in order to attract, support, reward, and retain educators who have a passion for and a commitment to what we do. One approach worthy of serious consideration is giving teachers who have substantially increased their students’ achievement a differentiated role: mentor to new teachers. They should be tangibly rewarded for this role. Such teachers might be retired, but interested in giving back to the profession and maintaining contact with teachers and students. Others might be currently employed, hired as recently as five years ago, and have the necessary commitment, energy, passion, and success. Funds appropriated for student assessment should be used to identify and pay such teachers differentially. Fourth, we must take a very close look at what we are teaching and how we are teaching it. We must ensure that what we are teaching and testing are important, reasonable, and challenging to every student. We must ensure that every student has the benefit of a planned, ongoing, systematic, up-to-date, research-based program of instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies—plus a full course of study in a language other than English, as well as the arts and health and physical education. While the federal legislation provides a large amount of funding to address this need in reading, minimal funds are provided for mathematics and science, and no funds are provided for the other areas of the curriculum. Fifth, we must keep an equally strong focus not only on the academic achievements of our students, but also on their social, emotional, physical, and mental health. An intense focus on high academic achievement for all students is the heart of what we do. This is necessary, but not sufficient, to produce informed, respectful, and respected citizens. We need an equally strong effort to improve student ethical achievement. High academic honor without high ethical behavior is no honor at all. How likely is this balanced focus, when states, districts, and schools are judged solely by the No Child Left Behind Act criteria in reading, writing, math, and science? How likely is it that educators will resist the narrowing of their curricula to a relentless focus on just these areas tested? How likely is it that schools will focus equally on the social, emotional, and health needs of their students? I support balanced assessment that informs curriculum and instruction. But I fear that the assessment requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act have tipped that balance. Rich, meaningful teaching will get crowded out. Curriculum development will get crowded out. Innovation and connection to the whole student will get crowded out. Renewing the profession will get crowded out. Where, then, will the children be? Without some modifications in the No Child Left Behind law, they’ll be somewhere far behind. EVENTS: Coming up next week... • Tuesday Jun 22, 2004 Local District F New Elementary School Construction Community Update Meeting Join us for an update meeting about new elementary school construction in Local District F including the following projects: * Alexandria New Elementary School #1 * Belmont New Elementary School #6 * Cahuenga New Elementary School #1 * Belmont New Elementary School #9 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Alexandria Elementary School Auditorium 4211 Oakwood Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90004 ____________________________________________________ • Wednesday Jun 23, 2004 Central Region Elementary School #18 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District H At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. 28th Street Elementary School Auditorium 2807 Stanford Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90011 South Region Span 6-12 #3 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District J At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Middleton Elementary School Auditorium 6537 Malabar Street Huntington Park, CA 90255 ____________________________________________________ • Thursday Jun 24, 2004 Central Region Elementary School #14 Phase II Site Selection Update Local District F Your participation is important! Please join at this meeting where we will review: * Criteria used to select potential sites * Sites suggested by community and by LAUSD, and * We will present and discuss the most suitable site(s) for this new school project 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Rosemont Avenue Elementary School Auditorium 421 N. Rosemont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90026 Central Region Elementary School #16 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District H At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Main Street Elementary School Auditorium 129 E. 53rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 South Region Span K-8 #2 Phase II Presentation of Recommended Preferred Site Local District G At this meeting we will present and discuss the site that will be recommended to the LAUSD Board of education for this new school project. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Foshay Learning Center 3751 S. Harvard Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 *Dates and times subject to change. ___________________________________________________ • SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: http://www.laschools.org/bond/ Phone: 212.241.4700 ____________________________________________________ • LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR: http://www.laschools.org/happenings/ Phone: 213.633.7616 • LAUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION & COMMITTEES MEETING CALENDAR 4LAKids Book Club for June & July –CHOOSING EXCELLENCE: “Good Enough” Schools Are Not Good Enough John Merrow - the documentary filmmaker and corespondent behind the Merrow Report series of education broadcasts on NPR and PBS - spoke to the California State PTA convention last month about his take on public education issues. Much of what he said was reported a month ago in 4LAKids (see: May 9th: “NOTES FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE PTA CONVENTION & PARENT SYMPOSIUM IN LONG BEACH”) Merrow’s thinking is further developed in CHOOSING EXCELLENCE (Scarecrow Press, 207pp) — first published in 2001 but is still very applicable today. Some of his thoughts re: charter schools (which at the time were totally unproved) probably need reworking as the data becomes clearer – but his take is 98% on! (‘Choice’ in LAUSD means particpation in the magnet school program - the ultimate choice is often made by a lottery – ‘choice’ becomes a matter of chance!) “Choice” has become a political buzzword in education, often it really means school vouchers and the privatization of public education. Not here. Merrow’s call is for nothing-less-than excellence in education, and his mantra that “‘Good Enough’ Schools Are Never Good Enough” resonates. His critique of multiple choice standardized tests, his description of the roles of parents, students and educators, and his premise that excellence is a choice parents must make – and his step-by-step guide on how to make the choices – are well worth the read. This is good stuff! —smf Get CHOOSING EXCELLENCE from your local library, bookstore - or order it by clicking here. What can YOU do? • E-mail, call or write your school board member. Or your city councilperson, mayor, assemblyperson, state senator, the governor, member of congress, senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think. • Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school. • Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it! • Get involved at your neighborhood school. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. Be there for a child. • Vote. Contact your school board member Scott Folsom is a parent and parent leader in LAUSD. He is Vice President for Education in Los Angeles 10th District PTSA and represents PTA on the LAUSD Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee. He serves on various school district advisory and policy committees and is a PTA officer and governance council member at two LAUSD schools. He is also the elected Youth & Education boardmember on the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council. • In this forum his opinions are his own and your opinions and feedback are invited. • This and past Issues are available – with interactive feedback — at http://4lakids.blogspot.com/ • To SUBSCRIBE e-mail: 4LAKids-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com - or -TO ADD YOUR OR ANOTHER'S NAME TO THE 4LAKids SUBCRIPTION LIST E-MAIL smfolsom@aol.com with "SUBSCRIBE" AS THE SUBJECT. Thank you.