Empowerment zones, the third way, portfolio district. Different name, same goals: takeover of our public schools.
http://baystatebanner.com/news/2018/feb/28/school-turnaround-bill-advances/
School Reform Initiatives
Senate approves bilingual education measure
“Far from a done deal,” but we’re getting closer to dismantling English only/”one size fits all” in MA.
Massachusetts Parents United: Old Wine in an Empty Bottle
Read about Mass. Parents United. Who are they? The state director was former state director for Families for Excellent Schools. Funders? The Walton Foundation and the Longfield Foundation, which also funded Great Schools. Members? They say 7000, but what exactly does “member” mean? Might just mean signing a questionnaire outside the Stop and Shop, where paid staff were canvassing on election day. Lots of questions.
http://blogs.wgbh.org/masspoliticsprofs/2017/7/12/massachusetts-parents-united-old-wine-new-bottle/
In Some States, Donating to Private Schools Can Earn You a Profit
In 12 states, donating to private/parochial schools can be done at no cost or at a profit, e.g. in South Carolina, someone making a $20,000 donation gets a $20,000 state tax credit, AND a federal tax deduction up to $7,000. The world according to DeVos.
PTA Gift for Someone Else’s Child? A Touchy Subject in California
Pooling donations from schools across the district and distributing them equally to all schools– an interesting idea for Boston, where some schools have a lot and some schools have none.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/08/us/california-pta-fund-raising-inequality.html?_r=0
Discrimination Nearly Stalled a Dual-Language Program in Boston
Some history on the Haitian-Creole dual language program that will open at the Mattahunt in the fall.
House makes it official: Vouchers are a no-go
Texas House rejected vouchers and similar programs that funnel state money to non-public education. T-E-X-A-S!
Privatization schemes are hurting Massachusetts
“Eye on Privatization”: watch the video “Privatization and Public Policy”!
The masquerade of school choice: a parent’s story
The Masquerade of School Choice: “Don’t let school choice trick you. The best way to provide quality across social class, race and ethnicity is to invest in public schools.”
New Bedford to pursue “innovation zones”
Teachers and administrators working together to create positive changes in schools: “A group of teachers working with the school administration to remake New Bedford middle schools is leaning against using a so-called “innovation zone,” a special governing structure that could have allowed principals and a group of elected teachers to approve changes to things like the length of the school day, curriculum or staffing.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2017/03/mayor_bps_closures_not_viable_option