AM News: Funding Frustration In Philly (And LA)

Philadelphia Schools Enveloped in Anger, Frustration Amid Austere Budget AP: More than 200 protesters had packed the Philadelphia school board meeting and were drowning out the official presentation; they also waved signs expressing "No confidence" in next year's austere budget. It was the second major demonstration at district headquarters in just over a week.

Critics decry latest shrinkage of L.A. Unified's school year LA Times: A tentative agreement to shorten the school year for Los Angeles students — for the fourth consecutive year — is almost certain to weaken academic gains, and was driven, critics said, by expediency more than the best interests of students.

Senate Panel OK's Slight Funding Hike for Education Department EdWeekPoliticsK-12: Two key K-12 formula programs—Title I grants for districts and state grants for special education—would see slight boosts in a bill approved on a party line vote Tuesday by the Senate subcommittee that oversees education spending.

Job Interviews and Protests Continue in 'Turnaround' Schools GothamSchools: With the 24 turnaround schools deep into the hiring process, a small handful of teachers gathered in front of Tweed this afternoon to show their opposition despite the rain.

Fairfax asleep on high school start time WashingtonPostLocal: Eight times in the last 24 years, the Fairfax County School Board has studied whether to let high school students start school later than 7:20 a.m. because teens are biologically programmed for a late-to-bed and late-to-rise schedule.

TN Senate Speaker Predicts Voucher Program in 2013 EducationNext: Ron Ramsey, the Speaker of the Tennessee State Senate, has predicted that the next legislative session will see the Senate consider the proposal for a limited voucher program. 

 

Comments

[Bruce]

Schools that want what's best for teens will start at 9:00 and have 200-day school years, and will find sufficient teachers to agree to those parameters: that's what we propose at One World Secondary School, and this use of time is well established in practice in schools around the world. California is no longer positioned to offer a competitive education to its students through its public schools, and parents in this state are well advised to start looking for alternatives in independent education if they want their children to have the kinds of futures that we can all be proud of. Whether because of demographic changes or for some other reason, Californians just no longer care to fund their public schools to the extent necessary to produce the outcomes their educational leaders dream of.

[Sarah]

I’ve disagreed with Bruce over some policies in the past, but here he’s right. Schools start, in many places, the high school district I went to as a kid included, at 7:00. It was unrealistic as a teenager to adapt to the sleep schedule involved. They're trying something new next year. They'll start school two days a week at 8:30 and 7:30 the other three days. I'm doubting that will be any better.

[Sarah]

And it’s a shame the school year is set to shorten yet again in LA. That’s the opposite of what they need. Budgets may be tight, but again, money seems to come before students.