Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Torlakson Appoints Inglewood State Administrator - Year 2017 (CA Dept of Education)

Torlakson Appoints Inglewood State Administrator - Year 2017 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Appoints State Administrator for Inglewood Unified School District




SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana as his selection for State Administrator for the Inglewood Unified School District.
“Thelma Meléndez has a strong combination of leadership skills and experience managing school districts,” Torlakson said. “She will continue the district’s positive momentum.”
Meléndez most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Educational Services in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was also Superintendent at the Pomona Unified and Santa Ana Unified School Districts, and served as Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education. The American Association of School Administrators named her the California Superintendent of the Year in 2009. She will begin her appointment August 16, 2017.
“The Inglewood school community has the ingredients for greatness, and it will be an honor to lead the district into the next phase of progress for all students,” Meléndez said. “Partnering with parents, teachers, the school board, and the community, we will strive for excellence in every classroom, for every child, every day. I am eager and ready to roll up my sleeves to get to work.”
Dr. Meléndez began her career as a teacher in the Montebello Unified School District. More recently, she was appointed Chief Advisor on Education and Workforce Development by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, and a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Meléndez is also a member of the California State University Board of Trustees.
The state took over Inglewood Unified in 2012, when, at the district’s request, Governor Brown approved legislation that provided up to $55 million in emergency loans to help the district meet its financial obligations. The loan must be repaid within 20 years.
The legislation also required the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to assume all the legal rights, duties, and powers of the governing board of the district and appoint a state trustee to serve as administrator. By law, the school district's elected governing board serves only in an advisory capacity until a number of conditions are met.
The Superintendent’s authority continues until the district has adequate fiscal systems and controls in place, and the Superintendent has determined that the district complies with an approved fiscal plan. The recovery plan also includes steps to improve the district's community relations and governance, pupil achievement, and management of finances, personnel, and facilities.
            Inglewood Unified School District is the ninth school district in California to request an emergency loan since 1990. Since then, eight districts have returned to full local control. For information, visit the California Department of Education's State Emergency Loans Web page.
# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
 Torlakson Appoints Inglewood State Administrator - Year 2017 (CA Dept of Education):

Weingarten on David vs. Goliath Battle in Education - YouTube

Weingarten on David vs. Goliath Battle in Education - YouTube:

Weingarten on David vs. Goliath Battle in Education 





 AFTHQ - YouTube - https://youtu.be/jz2TQOKWlkA?list=TLGGJt9GO2Ldbx4yMDA3MjAxNw  @AFT






Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/20/17


Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/20/17

Featured Post

Oklahoma teacher reduced to panhandling for supplies as GOP cuts ravage school budget





Christine Pellegrino - TEACH17 Welcome
Christine Pellegrino - YouTube : Christine Pellegrino Joshua Hall AFTHQ - YouTube - https://youtu.be/jz2TQOKWlkA?list=TLGGJt9GO2Ldbx4yMDA3MjAxNw @ AFT
CURMUDGUCATION: Petrilli's Retro Stool Sample
CURMUDGUCATION: Petrilli's Retro Stool Sample : Petrilli's Retro Stool Sample At the Thomas Fordham, Mike "Ed Reporters Call Me First" Petrilli is engaged in a little summary, prognostication, and cheerleading for philanthropists, but mostly, a retelling of many favorite reformster tales from yesteryear. "Education philanthropy and the unfinished business of policy reform " opens with what may we
Betsy DeVos claims philosophy of Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher as her own - The Washington Post
Betsy DeVos claims philosophy of Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher as her own - The Washington Post : Betsy DeVos claims philosophy of Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher as her own Yes, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos went there — and a few other places, too. Speaking at an annual conference of a powerful conservative organization, she invoked the words of Margaret Thatcher, the late prime minister of Gre
Remarks from Secretary DeVos to the American Legislative Exchange Council | U.S. Department of Education
Remarks from Secretary DeVos to the American Legislative Exchange Council | U.S. Department of Education : Remarks from Secretary DeVos to the American Legislative Exchange Council Thank you, Lisa, for the kind introduction. It's good to be here at ALEC, with so many friends and quality leaders shaping policy across all 50 states. A special thanks to my fellow Michiganders, thanks so much for joi
The Aftermath: Time for an Emergency Procedure policy | Parents United for Public Education
The Aftermath: Time for an Emergency Procedure policy | Parents United for Public Education : The Aftermath: Time for an Emergency Procedure policy This past May, there was a horrific bus accident involving eighth grade students, staff and parents of Charles W. Henry Elementary school. All 30 passengers and driver were injured when a car collided with the charter bus and eventually overturned on
Want to reduce racial segregation? Elect a Democrat to school board, study says | Chalkbeat
Want to reduce racial segregation? Elect a Democrat to school board, study says | Chalkbeat : Want to reduce racial segregation? Elect a Democrat to school board, study says When Republicans won control of the Wake County, North Carolina school board in 2009, they promised to eliminate the district’s racial integration program in favor of “community schools” closer to students’ homes — and they d
Still a Sow’s Ear — Isthmus Montessori Academy Contract | AMPS
Still a Sow’s Ear — Isthmus Montessori Academy Contract | AMPS : Still a Sow’s Ear — Isthmus Montessori Academy Contract Pigbag — Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag (click to listen and watch). On Monday July 31, 2017 , The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education will consider and vote on a contact for an Isthmus Montessori Academy Charter School (IMACS). This will be the third time th
ESSA, Pay for Success & the McCleary Crisis | Seattle Education
Pay for Success & the McCleary Crisis: Did the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Help Position Social Impact Bonds as a Last Resort Funding Option for Our Public Schools? | Seattle Education : Pay for Success & the McCleary Crisis: Did the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Help Position Social Impact Bonds as a Last Resort Funding Option for Our Public Schools? The horrible thing about the Two Mi
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The IL Gov's Race: I don't like Kennedy.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The IL Gov's Race: I don't like Kennedy. : The IL Gov's Race: I don't like Kennedy. To be honest, I just don't like this guy. Needless to say, dumping Rauner is our main goal in next year's race. But until then, I'm trying to sort out the gaggle of Democrats running in the primary. The way things look now , any of them --or Dave the cable guy -- could beat the billi
Jersey Jazzman: When "Miracle" Charter Schools Shed Students
Jersey Jazzman: When "Miracle" Charter Schools Shed Students : When "Miracle" Charter Schools Shed Students A follow-up to yesterday's post : As I noted, NBC's Sunday Night with Megan Kelly broadcast a story earlier this month about Boys Latin Charter School, a "successful" charter school in Philadelphia which claims to have ten times the college completion rate of its neighboring high schools. T
Why Teachers Need To See Themselves as Experts – Jose Vilson – Medium
Why Teachers Need To See Themselves as Experts – Jose Vilson – Medium : Why Teachers Need To See Themselves as Experts I just got back from the NNSTOY Conference in Washington D.C. The conference features some of the most decorated and outspoken teachers in the country. This year’s foci included racial and social justice (my raison d’etre , really), student voice, and teacher agency. I was fascin
CURMUDGUCATION: Back the Hell Up
CURMUDGUCATION: Back the Hell Up : Back the Hell Up And there it was, the question cutting through the various nuanced and complicated discussions of the various threads of ed policy, privatization, and the Newest Big Thing for making a buck in education changing the face of education. What do you want? If you don't like X or Y or Z, what is it you want? Here it is. My short, simple answer for wh
Cartoons: The Politics of Schooling | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Cartoons: The Politics of Schooling | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Cartoons: The Politics of Schooling For this month, I have selected cartoons that get at the vulnerability of public schools to social, economic, and political demands. The cartoonist’s pen captures how fads and fashions easily spill over schools since they are wholly dependent upon the beliefs and whims o
The Jeff Bryant Report: How Budget Austerity Puts Public School Parents On Par With Criminals
7/20/2017 – How Budget Austerity Puts Public School Parents On Par With Criminals : The Jeff Bryant Report: How Budget Austerity Puts Public School Parents On Par With Criminals THIS WEEK: School Costs Rise … Voucher Black Hole… Trump And Teen Pregnancy … Charter School Warning … Republicans And Rape TOP STORY How Budget Austerity Puts Public School Parents On Par With Criminals By Jeff Bryant “I
What If?: Even the Best Republicans or Democrats | radical eyes for equity
What If?: Even the Best Republicans or Democrats | radical eyes for equity : What If?: Even the Best Republicans or Democrats When news broke about John McCain’s cancer, political leaders from both major parties weighed in with words of praise and support—even former president Obama. But here is my first thought: McCain will receive world-class medical care without any real fear of financial ruin
Randi Weingarten skewers Betsy DeVos on vouchers, calls them to 'cousins' of segregation
Union boss skewers Betsy DeVos on vouchers, calls them to 'cousins' of segregation : Teachers union boss skewers Betsy DeVos on vouchers, likening them to 'cousins' of segregation WASHINGTON — In a blistering speech slated to be delivered to more than 1,400 teachers here on Thursday, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten likens U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to a climat
Anyway Up or Down Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Anyway Up or Down Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Florida: Palm Beach Post Urges School Board to Join the Lawsuit Against Horrendous HB 7069 1 by dianeravitch / 32min Florida parents and educators opposed HB 7069, a bill which hurts public schools and enriches charter schools (private contractor sc
Sacramento News & Review - Dale Allender, co-editor of the high school ethnic studies textbook Our Stories in Our Voices
Sacramento News & Review - Dale Allender, co-editor of the high school ethnic studies textbook Our Stories in Our Voices - 15 Minutes - Opinions - July 20, 2017 : Dale Allender, co-editor of the high school ethnic studies textbook Our Stories in Our Voices The Sacramento State University assistant professor discusses the important of letting diverse groups speak for themselves Dale Allender ’s ho
Betsy DeVos' Latest Speech Draws Protests, Even Before She Speaks : NPR Ed : NPR
Betsy DeVos' Latest Speech Draws Protests, Even Before She Speaks : NPR Ed : NPR : Betsy DeVos' Latest Speech Draws Protests, Even Before She Speaks Hundreds of protesters hold signs and chant at a rally in front of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is scheduled to deliver a speech to the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, which backs school choice
Oklahoma teacher reduced to panhandling for supplies as GOP cuts ravage school budget
Oklahoma teacher reduced to panhandling for supplies as GOP cuts ravage school budget : Oklahoma teacher reduced to panhandling for supplies as GOP cuts ravage school budget Tulsa, OK third grade teacher has taken to begging for money on the side of the road to buy her students the school supplies they need thanks to cuts to the state education budget. Tulsa’s Fox News 23 said that Teresa Danks h
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Owes ALEC for Promoting Her Anti-Public Education Agenda | janresseger
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Owes ALEC for Promoting Her Anti-Public Education Agenda | janresseger : Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Owes ALEC for Promoting Her Anti-Public Education Agenda Today in Denver, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will deliver the lunchtime keynote address at the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Last year, right after the Republican
With A Brooklyn Accent: A Crime Against History: A Crime Against The Bronx: The Demolition of St Augustine RC Church
With A Brooklyn Accent: A Crime Against History: A Crime Against The Bronx: The Demolition of St Augustine RC Church : A Crime Against History: A Crime Against The Bronx: The Demolition of St Augustine RC Church "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" Joni Mitchell Today, as i was taking Fordham College Dean Maura Mast on a tour of the Morrisania neighborhood, one of the sites I had planne
NYC Educator: Wolf in Bernie Sanders' Clothing
NYC Educator: Wolf in Bernie Sanders' Clothing : NYC Educator: Wolf in Bernie Sanders' Clothing The Post pointed out that our good buddy Andrew Cuomo is taking a ton of cash from charters, and that's public record. Of course that's not the image Cuomo has been pushing lately. He's our good buddy, I hear at the DA. He's making nice. Now it would be nice if we could take credit for that and say tha
ECOT Kicks Off Latest Enrollment Marketing Campaign
ECOT Kicks Off Latest Enrollment Marketing Campaign : ECOT Kicks Off Latest Enrollment Marketing Campaign Ohio’s kids will head back to school in about a month. Stores have already swapped the sunscreen and pool floaties out of their seasonal sections. Now it’s all backpacks and school supplies. Families are enjoying their last few weeks at the pool, finishing up summer sports seasons, and not-so
I'M SHOCKED BROADIE tapped to lead troubled Inglewood schools | 89.3 KPCC
Audio: LA Unified administrator tapped to lead troubled Inglewood schools | 89.3 KPCC : LA Unified administrator tapped to lead troubled Inglewood schools State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced on Wednesday that he’s picked long-time local educator Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana as the new trustee for the troubled Inglewood Unified School District. Melendez de Santa Ana
Badass Teachers Association: Test-Based Accountability – Smokescreen for Cowardly Politicians and Unscrupulous Corporations by Steven Singer
Badass Teachers Association: Test-Based Accountability – Smokescreen for Cowardly Politicians and Unscrupulous Corporations by Steven Singer : Test-Based Accountability – Smokescreen for Cowardly Politicians and Unscrupulous Corporations by Steven Singer Originally posted at: https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/test-based-accountability-smokescreen-for-cowardly-politicians-and-un

YESTERDAY

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/19/17
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/19/17 Featured Post Fulton offered top teachers $20,000 to transfer to struggling schools. Did it work? | Get Schooled Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting Agenda 


Top Posts This Week