AM News: Districts Drop - Face Federal Funding Losses

Largest School Districts See Steady Drop in Enrollment NYT:  Public schools have struggled with the poor economy, home foreclosures and changes in immigration, and with competition from charter schools.

Job Roles Shifting for Districts' Central Offices EdWeek: As "chief talent officer" for the Hartford, Conn., school district, Jennifer Allen finds herself in a different role from many central-office personnel who work in human resources.

Ed.Dept: Most Automatic Cuts Wouldn't Affect Coming School Year PoliticsK-12: Districts and state officials who have lost sleep worrying that key federal education progams might be cut smack in the middle of the coming school year can calm down, at least according to a letter the U.S. Department of Education sent out to chief state school officers late Friday.

California Judge Pushes Back for Charter School WSJ: A judge has ruled in favor of a group of California parents trying to take control of a low-performing public school, setting the stage for what could be the first such takeover under so-called parent-trigger legislation.

News Corp. Unveils New Unit Reuters: News Corp said on Monday the education unit will be called Amplify and will focus on kindergarten through high school, creating digital products and services for students, teachers and parents.  Amplify is teaming up with AT&T Inc, using its 4G mobile tablet technology. They will begin to introduce new curriculum products through tests in U.S. schools during the 2012-2013 school year. ALSO:  GothamSchools:  After 18 months, Klein outlines plan for NewsCorp’s ed division

Comments

[Bruce]

Regarding the New York Times story on large districts losing their students, one of the more memorable quotes I've seen related to this comes from Adam Smith, of all people: "No discipline is ever requisite to force attendance upon lectures which are really worth the attending, as is well known wherever any such lectures are given" (page 824 in the Modern Library edition). I remember the quality of education being foisted upon neighborhood children in Los Angeles around 2005 as being shocking, at least those not long inured to it (Donna Foote's "Relentless Pursuit" provides graphic details); things desperately needed shaking up, and some of us were predicting then to the deniers that a day of reckoning was coming. Now schools have to compete even for the needy, and that is all to the good.

[CarolineSF]

That WSJ article on the parent trigger ruling is behind a paywall.

Here's my blog post on the ruling, pointing out that it disempowers parents (by banning them from rescinding their signatures -- if they've signed and changed their mind, "gotcha!"). Also, it contradicts language from the California law that created the parent trigger: “Nothing in these regulations precludes a parent/guardian from withdrawing his/her signature from a petition at any time."

http://parentsacrossamerica.org/2012/07/judges-parents-cant-rescind-parent-trigger-signatures/

[Phillip]

Hopefully, this means Desert Trails will get the full time librarian, ft counselor and ft art teacher that the parents want but the district told them it can't afford.

[Art]

Caroline ... The judge's published order makes clear that the words you cite as law are in fact not in the law. They represent the opinion of staff members which cannot trump the law.

[Sarah]

If a school isn’t doing well, it can’t really hurt to have parents take it back. And honestly... any parent that cares about their children is going to want such reform. Parents often feel excluded from the process of education. This cannot be disempowerment, because it is empowerment on so grand a scale.

[Sarah]

And while cuts might not affect the coming school year, their reality is something everyone is going to have to face at some point... there’s still plenty of call for concern.