Obama / Duncan’s Race to Nowhere

George Bush 1 had the “Thousand points of Lights”, the Clinton’s had “It takes a village” and Gerorge Bush the II had “No Child Left Behind”. Now here come Obama with his Race to top bullshit. Why do we need all these slogans when we should just do out f’ing jobs in educating children?

“The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform; implementing ambitious plans in the four education reform areas described in theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA); and achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring that students are prepared for success in college and careers.”

“We are now looking for peer reviewers to judge the Race to the Top competition The Department is soliciting nominations for reviewers for the Race to the Top program. We hope to assemble panels of our nation’s most distinguished educators, policymakers, and scholars to participate in the review process for this ambitious reform initiative.”

The federal stimulus is to be a two year deal and Arne Duncan’s plan to piss away $4.3 billion dollars reward state for doing the jobs is a crock of shit. I’d rather see federal money paying for a few new schools in Red Clay and expanding A.I. High School the forgotten promise. 

President Obama and his butt buddy Arne Duncan are two drunken sailors on Liberty with their wallets hanging out of their pockets. currently the so-called education stimulus coming to Delaware is nothing more than supplant funding to plugging Delaware education budget cuts. There is nothing supplemental about the stimulus. It’s a state bailout plan with cute names.

We need smaller class sizes and real intervention for disruptive students. We need crisis interventionist in every low performing school. We need School Resource Officers in every low perform middle school and high school. Where there is low acedemic performace often there is crisis.

Obama / Duncan’s  Race to the Top is more running from the truth! Billions upon billions of federal dollars are flowing through the hands of Supplemental Education Service providers (SES ) and yet they are excluded from full public financial transparency and yes I am going to take a pot-shot at TFA who couldn’t account for $774,000.00 federal grant dollars.

Pumping more money into public educational systems such as Delaware where education needs aren’t driven by classroom needs upwards is nothing more that pissing in the wind.

Arne Duncan will be coming to Delaware next month and no doubt my ass is not on the invite list. Rodel will be there with the puppet governor and a banker who is more a pain in the ass to the governor than I am to Red Clay. DSEA will be all smiles wanting to be a team player. I hope that wild one from Red Clay that drives the Happy Days car will be there taking notes for me. I am sure the big Don will be on hand. Well one thing about the big Don is he’ll tell you straight up but in a tactful way to kiss his ass. 

I am sure Markell will encourage the schools district to send a few window treatments ( parents who play ball and never question any concerns).

Hey Joe Biden, I know you are a big Kilroy’s fan so would you please pass this message along to Arne? Arne, sorry I have to be such a prick but come on, billion of billions of supplemental dollars flowing throw the system not directed to the root causes isn’t my way of educational reform. Much of the deteroriation in public education mirrors a breakdown in societal deteroriation. Parents are the key component in ensuring their children achieve. I am not talking just about ensuring homework is complete, their child well rested and fed. I am also talking about be community watchdogs ensuring parents have a voice in all aspects of their schools, school districts and state department of education. We have an appointed secretary of education in Delaware who has marching orders. Our secretary of education doesn’t have billions of dollars worth of decretionary to put to use as she feels would serve the best interest of students. You have that discretion and you took it upon yourself to implement Race to the top in Delaware. Such a fools journey that will not reap any bounty.

Arne, where is your plan for bricks and mortar and crisis interventionist? When will our school guidance counselors be allow to “counsel” rather than be college career counselors? There is family crisis spilling into our schools and disrupting education of all children not just the student in crisis. We have a society of hurting children and the impact on their ability to learn is a social injustice. For many of these kids the “race” is nothing more than racing home and hiding under their beds to shield themselves from abusive parents, drugs and alcohol abuse in the home on the streets and fearing voilence on their front door step.

Arne, kids just can’t shake their stress off and focus on school work! They are children and society is breaking down around them! Our public school teachers are not equip nor trained to address the social impact of children that interfere with their education. Call me misguided all you want but when you have lunch with some of Delaware’s elitists look in their eye and you’ll see the deer in the headlight. Our school district without any intervention from the school board allowed a contract with Teach for America(good people I am sure) up to $100,000.00 over and above TFA saleries per year for a three year contract for you got it, a two year program. The district didn’t include parents of the Title 1 school in the plans which is a clear violation of Title 1 laws under parental involvement.  

So I am a pain in the ass because we have a system that manipulates federal regulations, a governor who is clueless and turns a blind-eye, a U.S. Department of Education that allows the misuse of federal funds Re: Teach for America’s federal audit revealing $774,000.00 of unaccounted expenditures and federal laws requiring highly qualified teachers in Title 1 schools be violated with the blessing of USDOE. How can we trust you and another save the world plan such as Race to the Top? Enjoy your lunch with hand picked yes people and the awl struck of your celebrity.  

Judgement Day for Red Clay

Today is September 30, the date the student count for this school year is due. Surely the Red Clay community won’t know the data until the next Red Clay school board meeting .

I am sure will have a parade of teachers and union representatives rasing concern about oversize classes and like clockwork we’ll hear all about the reasoning the district can’t meet the letter of the law.  The vote for the waiver which my call will be unanimous  will be made in November’s board meeting re: Action Items A. The class size issue will only be an information item at October’s board meeting.

I don’t blame Red Clay or any other district for taking the “legal” waiver because this is where the legislators failed. The legislators knew the districts would require more space in some schools and not putting a waiver in would pretty much put an end to the choice school law that compounds the problem.

Years ago I sat through board meetings being fed information from the Red Clay School Board that they couldn’t meet the class size law because they don’t have the space. This was one of there sales pitch in an attempt  buy back Brandywine Springs Elementary School. The community via referendum vote no twice to the purchase of Brandywine. The board got “creative” and sold the district administration offices located on Washington Street in Wilmington. With a little help from state legislation giving permission to use the funds from the sale which secured the states share of the rejected referendums capital expense, the board got their way. The administration move into the annex building of Brandywine. What seems like dog shit is the original sales pitch for Brandywine was the district needed space to meet the class size law. However, last year Warner Elementary School failed to meet the class size law even when the build was being used at 51% capacity. Seems the real agenda is clear as black and white. 

Red Clay’s failure to meet the class size law is in part due to poor management by the district and poor oversight by the board. Red Clay’s mismanaged  choice program created much of the problem with meeting the law. This year they’ll play the economy card where students were forced back in public schools due to parents financial inability to send their kids to private schools.

I support choice school however, we must stick to designed school capacity for the sake of instructional needs and building service needs. Not to forget safety.

I hope the new board doesn’t find excuses blaming others why they can’t meet the law and reflect inwards as what they are doing to hamper that effort. Addressing building capacity was a good start. But we back to Warner and sorry ass board excuses for not meeting class sizes in a school operation at 51% capacity will not cut it.  The board can’t say one year we don’t have the physical  space and then when there is space use some lame ass excuse blaming Dover. The cost of the 6 Teacher for America Teachers at Warner  is up to $100,000.00 ( see TFA contract) over  and above normal scale slaries. Surely we could add one more teacher at Warner for that $100,000.00. Giving the poor black schools the least qualified teachers aka TFA and stick it to them in the back short-changing them on meet the class size law in a building with plenty of space is a social injustice. Put TFA in North Star or Brandywine and there would be a community uprising.  

Red Clay is in fact on its way to improvement but I am not ready to proclaim Red Clay is now fixed. This is no time for the watchdogs to go to sleep and more the time to stand guard. 

Breaking News ! Driver’s Ed Canceled in Iran

Driver’s Ed canceled due to the camel dying. Obama plans to send some American aid as an olive branch.

Obama & Duncan caught in men’s room stall

More school: Obama would curtail summer vacation

Obama need not worry about dictating to local school district and his dip-shit U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan need to revisit his so-called legacy in Chicago. Bit ironic that the first charter school to unionize is in Chicago.

Before any notion of extending the school year beyond what it is we need to address the out of control student behavior issue. We need stronger laws holding parents accountable. We need to get this asswhole Delaware business leaders to worry about thing like not screwing customers with ass-whole bank ATM fees and sorry-ass interest rates like lower for whites and higher for blacks.

I am starting to regret voting for Obama! The change he now wants to bring after being elected is a dictatorship. Mr. President, fix Washington before trying to fix Delaware.

No doubt Obama will create more stimulus to cover the added daycare cost associated with  extending the school year. What about those low paid charter school teachers who work other jobs during the summer or Saturdays? 

Mr. President, Iran just fired another missile telling you to kiss their ass! Just pick up the phone and call Israel and give them the green light to do the work you can’t. Take the ducktape off of Biden’s mouth and let him deal with Iran.

Arne Duncan perhaps you should discuss these plans with the real secretary  of education, Wendy Kopp CEO Teach for America aka Mrs. Wendy Kopp Barth wife of Kipp CEO Richard Barth Jr.  So Arne where did the $770,000.00 missing federal money given to Teach for America go? Don’t forget the try the Delaware Scrapple when you come visit Govenor Markell and the business folks pulling his strings.

Blog Red Clay Now makes debut Monday 9/28

Red Clay Now will be operated by blogger aka Red Clay School Board member Kim Williams. Kim as you know was one half of Fix Red Clay.

Red Clay Now blog hosting site will be Blogger  so all you coward anonymous and district trolls can add your comments without exposing your name or I.P. Address.

I assume Fix Red Clay blog will be shut down / deleted or just left as is with no more additional post like a time capsule.

I hope Anne O’Malia resconsiders and keeps Fix Red Clay alive.

Local blogs have helpped keep Red Clay, other schools districts and legislators feet to the fire for meaningful change that includes parents. The odds are Kim Williams may have not been elected to the Red Clay School Board if it wasn’t for being a member of Fix Red Clay. So tune in tomorrow the 28th to Red Clay Now. I am sure Kim will explain what Red Clay Now will be all about. 

Good luck Kim ! Anne please come home!

Always remeber the “public” in public school means you and public schools belong to us.

DSTP on death row but will it’s vendor?

New Student Assessment System Out for Re-Bid

Release Date: Sep 22, 2009 10:07 AM

(Dover, DE.)  The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the new statewide student assessment system known as the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS).  The purpose of the RFP is to seek proposals from qualified Offerors experienced in online, web-based development, delivery and scoring systems in reading/English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

The online assessment system will consist of three components: (1) summative assessments for grades 3 through 8 in reading and mathematics; and two grades each for science and social studies; (2) summative end-of-course assessments for high school in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies; and (3) benchmark growth assessments for grades 2 through 10 in reading, mathematics, and optionally science.

The new assessment system will be piloted in Delaware schools in winter/spring 2010 and will be operational in the 2010-2011 school year.  The Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) is still being administered throughout the 2009-2010 school year with the last DSTP administration scheduled for May 2010 when 8th and 11th graders will take the science and social studies tests.

Proposals are due from potential vendors no later than noon on Wednesday, October 21, 2009.  Proposals will be evaluated by an RFP Review Committee assisted by several advisory groups who will make a recommendation to Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D.

The RFP is available in electronic format through the State of Delaware, Department of Education website at http://www.doe.k12.de.us/rfplisting or via the State of Delaware’s Procurement website at http://bids.delaware.gov/.

Delaware’s Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.

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Delaware’s Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.

Contact Info. Ron Gough Public Information Officer Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: rgough@doe.k12.de.us

For those who don’t know, Harcourt Assessment was the company that scored and scored the DSTP.  I am calling it now that Harcourt assessment aka Pearson Assessment. DOE doesn’t want to let the evil genie out of the bottle.

Hey Dave, careful not to take part in those free steak dinners. I hear there is a rat in the house and I don’t want to see my old pal with his tail in the trap.

Sharpton get’s it but Obama doesn’t

The underground department of education

The Broad Foundation “Without the support of The Broad Foundation, we would not be where we are today. The foundation’s belief, not only in our particular model, but also in the importance of talent to the ultimate success of the education reform effort, has been catalytic. Time and again, we have turned to the foundation for its judgment, and we’ve come to expect that it will hold us to high standards. The impact of The Broad Foundation’s support will be felt in communities across America for a long time to come.”

Wendy Kopp

http://broadeducation.org/asset/162-2006-0209-vision2015.pdf

“Today we have the opportunity to exercise unprecedented leadership. We have the chance—and the momentum, resources, and talent—to create a vision for public education in Delaware that will achieve world-class status by 2015,” said Marvin N.“Skip” Schoenhals, co-chair of both the Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee. “We can’t do anything less for our children; it’s an obligation and an opportunity that we hope everyone in Delaware will embrace.”

“The Rodel Foundation of Delaware and The Broad Foundation, based in Los Angeles, are supporting the development of the plan, which will serve as a prospectus for additional investments by national, state and local funders to ensure successful implementation.”

The Boston Consulting  Group “The range of services we provide includes general strategy, postmerger integration work, organizational change, and corporate development, among others. We also partner regularly with public-sector clients to support a variety of projects/causes, including public education, global public health, and environmental conservation. Recent public sector partners include The Gates Foundation, The National Park Service, The Broad Foundation, The Rodel Foundation”

“A national foundation, The Broad Foundation (Los Angeles) is co-investing with the Rodel Foundation of Delaware in the development of the blueprint plan”

Rodel’s kiss ass letter to Arne Duncan keep kissing Paul

Education Week: Coalition Calls for Overhaul of Del. Education System“The Rodel Foundation gave $2.2 million to the project, and the Los Angeles-based Broad Foundation donated $1.35 million. …”

Jack wins the Rodel Foundation’s education debate — For a Better …Jack wins the Rodel Foundation’s education debate. by Jack Markell. More than 500 people packed the Grand Opera House on Thursday night to hear Jack’s bold …

Rodel Foundation Delaware : Media CenterTHE MIDDLETOWN TRANSCRIPT: “Markell administration looks to reform … THE MIDDLETOWN TRANSCRIPT: “Why the Rodel Foundation shares the vision for 2015″

Markell administration looks to reform education in DelawareFile Format:
Markell said. “This reform agenda gives districts room to innovate, instills greater …Dr. Paul A. Herdman, president and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of …

Jack Markell- Plan for Boradening the Reach of Higher Education JACK MARKELL’S PLAN FOR BROADENING THE. REACH OF HIGHER EDUCATION … The Rodel Foundation’s Opportunity Knocks study demonstrates that “our average …

Markell Blueprint Book Final[1]Jack Markell’s Blueprint Book Politics-Campaigns-and-Elections. … students, and teachers, we can get there. issued by the Rodel Foundation on this topic …

Like a broken record, I am here to tell you, it was the business roundtable who gave us DSTP and it is the business round table that is trying to shove Vision 2015 up our asses.

Try it this way, why is that the taxpayers of Delaware who provide the state with over one billion dollars in local and state taxes have less say in education than Rodel and organizations such as Teach for America?

DSEA may suck at times however, those on the far right and suck-ass senior school administrators want to blame unionized public school teachers for “all” the failures is public education. As far as Red Clay, we need to keep Merv’s butt as far away as possible from getting in bed with the business round table and Red Clay school board needs to wake the fuck up and keep an eye on Merv’s relationship with the reckless underground department of education. When indiviudals and businesses give schools donations there shouldn’t be strings attached such as a say in how to run the school. This is fine for charter schools but not traditional public schools.

The way our state government caters to lobbyists and business leaders the only defense worker have is to be unionized. Why in the hell do we want a president of a bank dictating public education? I have my reservations about unions however, can we really trust our government and business profiteers?

I agree, I am not the brightest and certianly can be an ass at times but, we’ve allowed all the experts with PhDs to dictate policies governing education in the curriculum, instruction and the behavior management of students. What have we gotten in return for paying all these managers of education?

Even with a simple GED and a pocketful of college credits I can tell you education should be driven based on classroom needs upwards. Those who are not teaching in the classroom should be the support network of those who are. Form some classrooms they are like an island on fire and ships pass by without offering aid. Principals tell distressed teacher their hands are tied, so suck it up.  Principals are in fear of getting fired and black-balled from the district for letting the truth be known. Others won’t rock the boat because it will alter their career advancement motives. Yet, I assure you, building administrators in schools with TFA’s will provide shining reports as not to upset the political agendas. Those who dare to be even objective will be reassigned.

In ten years  government will be coming up with yet another plan to close the achievement gap. Rotating TFA teachers in and out of school every two years will not support longterm goals and continuity in educating students. In deed we need to purge the dead wood ( ineffective teachers) however chastising the good with the bad isn’t the answer. Once we stop labeling schools with failure signs perhaps we can require teacher to teach where they are assigned and not bump their was out of so-called failing schools. Paying highly qualified teachers more to teach in high poverty schools is noble however, many would rather have a greater support network and eqitiablilty in resources.

I might be a radical and yes a bit short in the literary skills but because of some great public schools teachers I have enough skills to make and effort to give back. Accuse me of telling lies and distortations but, I am unlike those in the education system who know the truth but cover the lies. My christian cross may be tarnished but a man who carries his shining cross and professes his soul to Christ will have more to answer at the pearly gates if he lives the lies.

If the business community wants to really help reform public education then provide funding that will be use for supplemental teachers to help reduce class sizes and make damn sure it’s not being used as supplant funding. Lowering class sizes has been a proven means of rasing student achievement no matter if they are rich or poor.

Hey Skipper, perhaps you can donate all those f’ed up ATM fees to Delaware classrooms. Hey Rodel, trying using your money to buy some supplemental teachers not politicians. Hey Arne Duncan, stay in Washington, D.C. and use the saving to purchase some supplemental teaching units. Jack,  Jack, Jack ! Open your eyes and read between the lines. Increase funding to adjust the allocation of teaching units within our high poverty schools. The only way you’re going to close the achievement gap is to fill it with “qualified” teachers not some greenhorns.

Pualh, your blog may be a poster child for proper english and grammar however, it lacks heart and real passion. You would be a far greater assets to the community if you were an independent education consultant. You have outstanding leadership skills but they are being held hostage by your boss’s delusional ambitions.

Yo ! Shark Boy, what happen to that sitdown we were going to have? You’re not the villian!

Tax parents for having fat kids

Taxing soda and other sugary drinks will help reduce obesity which in turn will help reduce diabetes which will help reduce healthcare cost.  If that don’t work the government will tax parents for having fat kids.

The United States government is taxing themselves right into a revolution. The arm of the federal government is getting way to long and infringing on the daily life and existence of all Americans.

What next, will the state governments come into school and weigh your children like livestock? Tax fat teachers for being poor role models? OMG, will the government disallow sodas to be paid for with food stamps?

I have no doubt The Rodel Foundation and Arne Duncan with Jack Markell in tow will get their noses is the fat issue. I can hear it now, “ Our kids can’t compete in a global economy if they can’t get their fat asses out the door.”

Yea yea it’s all about saving lives and the government has a responsibility. So why not tax DuPont for dumping all those cancer causing chemical agents into the environment? Do you really need to use Teflon laced car wax that erodes off between applications. The shit doesn’t just disappear; it ends up in your drinking water.

How about taxing the rich ass slumlords who screw over the less fortunate? Maybe adding a “land pig tax” for those who build homes on more than an half acre of land?

Will Markell order all soda machines out of all state buildings including schools? That’s a 50/50 call and most likely if Skip from WSFS orders him to.

I had a nightmare that Mike Matthews was hired by Obama to be his Fat Czar. Within the first week there was a scandal, Mike Mattews was busted for having Cheese Combos in his desk drawer. His response was, well I did wash them down with diet ice tea.

Let’s hope Jack Buckley Red Clay’s new school board president don’t get any wild ideas like putting a treadmill down the aisle of the buses so that the students can run on to turn the wheels of the bus. Save on fuel and reduce student fat!

DSEA is gearing up to fight any attempts to force teachers to lose weight. They’ll go along only if the teacher get a wage increase equal to the percentage of body fat they lose. 

Message to Iran & N.Korea

Do not mess with President Obama