Comments on: Behind-the-scenes maneuvers on parental reforms http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/ Analysis, opinion and ruminations on California education policy Wed, 30 May 2012 07:31:37 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Parents reject Compton’s demand | Thoughts on Public Education http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-29558 Parents reject Compton’s demand | Thoughts on Public Education Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:28:52 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-29558 [...] the year-old parent trigger law, a majority of parents at a school identified as needing academic improvement can demand one of [...] [...] the year-old parent trigger law, a majority of parents at a school identified as needing academic improvement can demand one of [...]

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]]> By: Parent Empowerment or Parent Manipulation? « InterACT http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-27651 Parent Empowerment or Parent Manipulation? « InterACT Sun, 19 Dec 2010 20:53:38 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-27651 [...] is the first state to enact the so-called parent trigger law that allows the majority of a school’s parents to sign a petition that triggers massive [...] [...] is the first state to enact the so-called parent trigger law that allows the majority of a school’s parents to sign a petition that triggers massive [...]

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]]> By: Lydia Grant http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4948 Lydia Grant Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:24:26 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4948 I am a Community Member, a LAUSD Parent and Parent Revolution Supporter. I spoke in Sacramento on behalf of SBX5-4. I dare anyone to criticize me for my efforts to help my 13 year Program Improvement Failing Middle School. We, as Community Parents got hundreds of signatures to try to send a message to our District, not one signature paid for, no threats, Just desperate parents trying to latch on to the glimmer of hope that the Parent Revolution/Parent Trigger offered us. Kudos to 2 Grass Roots Parents Mary Najera, and Shirley Ford, for caring enough about their own children and others to start this ball rolling. There are 4 choices for reform, only one of them is Charter School. This is not what it's about. Ben Austin was hired to help Empower Parents. We approached him for help, after begging the District for years. I am Proud to be a fighter for parents across the state , and hopefully, the whole country. Parents have been ignored long enough! I am a Community Member, a LAUSD Parent and Parent Revolution Supporter. I spoke in Sacramento on
behalf of SBX5-4.
I dare anyone to criticize me for my efforts to help my 13 year Program Improvement Failing Middle School.
We, as Community Parents got hundreds of signatures to try to send a message to our District, not one signature paid for, no threats, Just desperate parents trying to latch on to the glimmer of hope that the Parent Revolution/Parent Trigger offered us.
Kudos to 2 Grass Roots Parents Mary Najera, and Shirley Ford, for caring enough about their own children and others to start this ball rolling.
There are 4 choices for reform, only one of them is Charter School. This is not what it’s about.
Ben Austin was hired to help Empower Parents.
We approached him for help, after begging the District for years. I am Proud to be a fighter for parents across the state , and hopefully, the whole country. Parents have been ignored long enough!

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]]> By: Gabe http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4475 Gabe Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:25:39 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4475 Parent Revolution stands for one simple premise - fixing our schools by giving parents power. The idea that parents could have real control over their local schools is clearly something that scares a lot of people - one prominent organized interest even referred to the concept as a "lynch mob." Others have circulated flyers telling parents they will be deported if they sign a charter petition. These are facts, not baseless allegations made by one person in a YouTube video. Only someone who knew nothing about Los Angeles schools would think it was necessary to pay parents to sign a petition claiming that their local school is not serving their child well and it needs radical improvements. Just like during our recent presidential campaign, we see that when defenders of the status quo have run out of logical arguments, they turn to deception, distraction, and scare tactics in a desperate attempt to change the subject. But just like President Obama declared in Philadelphia, we will not let these tactics divide us any longer. Not this time. This moment is too important to fall victim to petty politics. The status quo is fundamentally failing our children. We think empowered parents will successfully demand better. Clearly many disagree with this notion, which is fine. But lets keep the debate about schools, parents, and their children, and stop the childish smear tactics which serve no one. Parent Revolution stands for one simple premise – fixing our schools by giving parents power. The idea that parents could have real control over their local schools is clearly something that scares a lot of people – one prominent organized interest even referred to the concept as a “lynch mob.” Others have circulated flyers telling parents they will be deported if they sign a charter petition. These are facts, not baseless allegations made by one person in a YouTube video. Only someone who knew nothing about Los Angeles schools would think it was necessary to pay parents to sign a petition claiming that their local school is not serving their child well and it needs radical improvements.

Just like during our recent presidential campaign, we see that when defenders of the status quo have run out of logical arguments, they turn to deception, distraction, and scare tactics in a desperate attempt to change the subject. But just like President Obama declared in Philadelphia, we will not let these tactics divide us any longer. Not this time. This moment is too important to fall victim to petty politics.

The status quo is fundamentally failing our children. We think empowered parents will successfully demand better. Clearly many disagree with this notion, which is fine. But lets keep the debate about schools, parents, and their children, and stop the childish smear tactics which serve no one.

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]]> By: CarolineSF http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4461 CarolineSF Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:28:17 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4461 Suz, you're right -- I've e-mailed with Ben Austin -- head honcho of Parent Revolution. It's Astroturf, not a grassroots parent organization. The organization was created by a coalition of corporate-funded charter school operators, led by Green Dot, with Austin as the paid pseudo-activist. There are also rumors flying of Parent Revolution's paying for those parent signatures on those calls to take over schools -- here's film of one comment about that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNLkAjTLFoY That's not proof, but if it's even rumored that Parent Revolution is paying for the signatures, that calls the notion that they're empowering parents or doing anything but building more power for the charter operators who established the group into serious question. Suz, you’re right — I’ve e-mailed with Ben Austin — head honcho of Parent Revolution. It’s Astroturf, not a grassroots parent organization. The organization was created by a coalition of corporate-funded charter school operators, led by Green Dot, with Austin as the paid pseudo-activist.

There are also rumors flying of Parent Revolution’s paying for those parent signatures on those calls to take over schools — here’s film of one comment about that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNLkAjTLFoY

That’s not proof, but if it’s even rumored that Parent Revolution is paying for the signatures, that calls the notion that they’re empowering parents or doing anything but building more power for the charter operators who established the group into serious question.

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]]> By: John Fensterwald http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4453 John Fensterwald Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:29:41 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4453 Jeff: Let me correct what I said earlier. At the hearing on Race to the Top today, those who had seen the bill referred to the trigger provision applying to all schools in Year 3 and above in School Improvement. So the provision would potentially apply to an additional 675 schools (schools with over 800 API would be exempt) in Years 3 and 4 on top of the 1075 in Year 5. It's unclear whether the worst schools, based on API scores, would be given priority, or whether it would be the first 75 schools in which parents successfully did a petition campaign. Jeff: Let me correct what I said earlier. At the hearing on Race to the Top today, those who had seen the bill referred to the trigger provision applying to all schools in Year 3 and above in School Improvement. So the provision would potentially apply to an additional 675 schools (schools with over 800 API would be exempt) in Years 3 and 4 on top of the 1075 in Year 5. It’s unclear whether the worst schools, based on API scores, would be given priority, or whether it would be the first 75 schools in which parents successfully did a petition campaign.

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]]> By: John Fensterwald http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4438 John Fensterwald Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:06:54 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4438 Suz: You're right. Parent Revolution was initiated by Green Dot founder Steve Barr and has other charter organizations affiliated with it, but it appears to have grown into a bigger effort that has enlisted the support of other community organizations. My understanding is that it is no longer directly tied to Green Dot. Suz: You’re right. Parent Revolution was initiated by Green Dot founder Steve Barr and has other charter organizations affiliated with it, but it appears to have grown into a bigger effort that has enlisted the support of other community organizations. My understanding is that it is no longer directly tied to Green Dot.

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]]> By: John Fensterwald http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4437 John Fensterwald Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:59:19 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4437 Jeff: According to the latest state report -- http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ay/tistatesum09.asp -- there are 1075 schools in Year 5 of School Improvement, which means they missed the targtet at least six years in a row. There is no Year 6 of School Improvement. Many schools have been in Year 5 for several years. Jeff: According to the latest state report — http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ay/tistatesum09.asp — there are 1075 schools in Year 5 of School Improvement, which means they missed the targtet at least six years in a row. There is no Year 6 of School Improvement. Many schools have been in Year 5 for several years.

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]]> By: Jeff http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4436 Jeff Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:33:12 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4436 "...failed to meet federal No Child Left Behind targets for six or more straight years." How many school meet that criteria? “…failed to meet federal No Child Left Behind targets for six or more straight years.”

How many school meet that criteria?

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]]> By: Suz Howells http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/01/03/assembly-to-separate-out-parental-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4430 Suz Howells Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:23:29 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/blog/?p=920#comment-4430 I'd like to know more about Parent Revolution. My understanding is that it is not a grassroots parent organization, but was initiated, staff and funded by Green Dot Charter schools. If that is the case, the leverage they have gained in the past few weeks through Romero's advocacy raises an eyebrow. I'm interested in a parent trigger, but concerned about how these proposals have been vetted and who are the true beneficiaries. Given that the parent trigger is not essential to RTTT legislation, it seems prudent to just stick to what is required for now. I’d like to know more about Parent Revolution. My understanding is that it is not a grassroots parent organization, but was initiated, staff and funded by Green Dot Charter schools. If that is the case, the leverage they have gained in the past few weeks through Romero’s advocacy raises an eyebrow.

I’m interested in a parent trigger, but concerned about how these proposals have been vetted and who are the true beneficiaries.

Given that the parent trigger is not essential to RTTT legislation, it seems prudent to just stick to what is required for now.

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