January | 2015 | Parents Teaching Parents 2015 January | Parents Rights & Responsibilities in the education of their children

January, 2015

Ed Change Agents Come to Vancouver

January 24, 2015 by Tunya

GELP Comes To Town — Vancouver, Canada

Of course, our province of British Columbia is part of the international coordinated network accelerating and pushing 21st C Learning.

One of the main Change Agents in this “School Transformation” movement is, we know, Michael Fullan. Recently while housecleaning, I found papers showing he has been in BC from at least 1989 — that’s 25 years ago! 25 years of relationship building, massaging the notables, passing on the techniques for “leadership” of this “movement”, etc. His keynote was “New Cultures for School Improvement” at the “International Education Conference — Enhancing School Quality: Theory into Practice, Nov 1989.

We've had our share of these Change Agents — Pasi Sahlberg, Andy Hargreaves, etc. — it’s not easy for the common observer to know much about the machinations behind the scenes of “needed” education transformation. So much is stealth work, behind the scenes, with the occasional obligatory “public consultation” — not authentic, merely a pro forma exercise.

Such is the case with the latest manifestation of “public involvement”. On January 29, in order for us to remain on the “international stage” a panel of experts will engage “influential education, economic and business stakeholders” — “Why Education Needs To Transform”. Two of the main speakers will be Tony MacKay and David Albury, Directors of GELP (Global Education Leaders Partnership). Another Director, Valerie Hannon, has been here a few years back. British Columbia, from their literature, is considered a “jurisdiction” of GELP, along with others as Colorado, Kentucky, Finland, etc. It’s as if somewhere (?) there was a meeting of contending “transformation agencies” to carve up the arena ???

Anyway, here is the link to the news release. http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2015/01/education-forum-to-be-all-about-learning.html

Because there was such a clamor when this came out — invited guests only — a Webcast is now to be produced for people to listen in. I’m still trying to figure out this inscrutable note, but hope to listen when the time comes: “As the Wosk Centre has a limited number of seats, we invite you to follow the #BCedForum on Twitter @bcedplan and access a live webcast of the event here beginning at 8:30 a.m. (PST) on January 29th. http://www.bcedplan.ca/” We’ll see IF it really is accessible. Two days ago I listened to the webcast from Fordham on ESEA, interesting, and I find it is still available on their site.

I'll prepare a checklist of frequently used words — deeper learning, competencies, collaboration, etc.

[published in Invisible Serfs Collar http://www.invisibleserfscollar.com/fulfilling-the-long-ago-prophecy-and-boast-on-conquering-the-west-quietly-thanks-to-the-us-senate/ 150124]

Category Education Reform, Parent Tribal Memory, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments
Highlighting Education Consumers – 2014

January 12, 2015 by Tunya

HIGHLIGHTING EDUCATION CONSUMERS – 2014

At a time when education has become Big Business it is fitting to pause and ask: Is the mission of education being fulfilled? Are consumers getting value from tax funds collected for the purpose of public education?

Here is a quick worldview of some highlights in 2014 and signs for the future. What would you like to add?

1. VERGARA LEGAL SUIT (California) — Student constitutional rights to a quality education were seen as violated due to teacher protections — tenure, dismissal and layoff provisions — with even greater unfairness in poor neighborhoods that did not qualify for best teachers. The lawsuit resulted in the judge’s agreement with the 9 students pursuing the case, ordering improvements in state statutes.

2. EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (ESA) was an idea, turned into a model, which places education dollars into the hands of parents instead of “the system”. Arizona has forged the way for this modeling. http://thefederalist.com/2014/09/09/these-lucky-parents-get-to-control-their-kids-state-education-money/

3. AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM REVIEW highlighted the need to get parents more involved — handbooks with easily understood curriculum goals were recommended. Also, parental concerns regarding illiteracy emerged. The Report recommended that phonics be used in primary years to teach reading and that teacher training faculties must prepare teachers for phonics or lose their accreditation..

4. DISCOVERY MATH BACKLASH in Alberta (Canada), where thousands of parent petition signatures triggered a hold on this 21st C Learning effort — as well as casting a shadow over the coming entire curriculum overhaul slated for March 2016. The message to the Ministry from parent groups is that it is key that the Ministry listens to parents, not just the educator side of the enterprise.

5. TEACHER STRIKE & PARENT PAYOUT happened in British Columbia (Canada). When school was to start again in September and the teacher strike was continuing from June the Minister of Finance foresaw the predictable inconvenience to parents. To find other education opportunities or daycare for children under 13 a payout of $40 day during the September shutdown was arranged. This served to validate parents’ primary role in education.

6. PARENT INTERVENTION IN LEGAL EDUCATION MATTERS GAINS HEADWAY. While the democratic principle of having voice in state decision-making that affects one is generally observed, this is not the case in education where parents are snubbed in teacher/government collective bargaining and education court cases. In BC while a parent intervention application was dismissed but a business intervention application was approved in an ongoing education court case an application by parents in Florida was successful. A teacher union legally challenged school choice legislation and a group of parents were granted intervention standing.

7. PARENTS, NOT THE STATE, ARE PRIMARY IN EDUCATION — says the newly elected State Superintendent of Education in Arizona. In voting parents were given the chance “to reclaim sovereignty over their kids' education and minds” said the literature. http://blog.independent.org/2014/12/03/raising-arizona-voters-agree-with-incoming-superintendent-diane-douglas-that-parents-not-the-state-are-primary-in-education/

8. MORE SCHOOL CHOICE, COMPETITION & PARENT POWER IN EDUCATION — That is the New Year’s (2015) wish of a trustee in Florida. http://www.redefinedonline.org/2015/01/wishing-for-more-school-choice-competition-parent-power/

[This review was posted on three sites: Education Consumers Clearinghouse, EDUCAN and Educhatter. I received positive feedback and hope to add supplements, and certainly looking forward to, at year end of 2015, to produce another review. I invite comments and especially additions to the GOOD NEWS consumers — parents, students, taxpayers and well-meaning friends of the client cause in face of ever-encroaching producer capture — can appreciate. TA}

Category GOOD NEWS, Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments
Arizona Promises All Parents Equal Opportunity

January 6, 2015 by Tunya

ARIZONA A BELLWETHER STATE — INDICATOR OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

I quickly responded when I read these words from Gov Doug Ducey of Arizona (Jan 05, 2015):

“It will be a first principle of my agenda that schools and choices available to affluent parents must be open to all parents, whatever their means, wherever they live, period.”

This is what I wrote on Jay P Greene’s website yesterday:

Amazing For Parents In Arizona !

That promise by Gov Doug Ducey is so exciting, and SO correct philosophically. Hope that’s the 2015 trend.

I keep spreading the ESA idea as much as I can in Canada. We have one province here — Ontario, with a $12.5 Billion deficit, $23,000 per man/woman/child. This is what I just published in the National Posthttp://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2015/01/05/kelly-mcparland-faces-with-debt-hobbled-government-ontario-teachers-unions-are-reduced-to-bluster/

How The 90¢ Education $ Would Cut Ontario Deficit By 1+ Billion

Taxpayers are not generally averse to paying for public education. What they would like to see is a better Return on Investment (ROI).

Firstly, there is a lot of wastage and over-inflated costs. Teacher union collective bargaining, bureaucratic empire building plus hosts of other inefficiencies contribute to a chiseling away from the education dollar what should be going directly to educate a student. Somehow, education is prone to wastage. In the 70s UNESCO produced reports on Wastage in Education — A World Problem.

Secondly, corruption occurs when accountability is slack and where the consumer is kept at arm’s length from decisions and feedback. The narrative has always been that the system knows what’s best for the students, and customers — parents and guardians must comply. The system easily gets bloated with hordes of ancillary staffs, consultants and public relations experts who feed that marketing hype.

What if the payments from the public purse were flipped? Pay the client rather than the provider? Shave the education dollar to 90% of its worth to the system and see how many parents choose the option?

Exactly this model is now operating successfully in Arizona with respect to Special Needs students. Variously called Education Savings Accounts (ESA) or Education Debit Accounts or Empowerment Scholarship Plan, this program has also been adopted in Florida and actively pursued in other states. The parents of the student have their special account loaded with an amount equal to 90% of what a school system would get — per student plus top-ups for the SN category — to spend on approved choices in services, education, tutoring and talent development. Who better than parents to assess what’s best? And they would be prudent with the money especially if savings can be carried over from year to year or even towards post-secondary education.

See stories on this topic — http://thefederalist.com/2014/09/09/these-lucky-parents-get-to-control-their-kids-state-education-money/

Let’s think outside the box on education delivery. If we started from scratch wouldn’t something like an ESA plan work for parents and students? Wouldn’t teachers love to start their own specialty schools? Wouldn’t tons of talent development programs arise — technology, arts, entertainment academies, sports

academies, etc.?

Academic scores and graduation rates would likely increase. And the provincial debt would decrease.

Category Education Reform, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments
ESA – Logic & Common Sense

January 3, 2015 by Tunya
Education Savings Accounts (ESA) — Logic & Common Sense.

Whether it’s funding for gifted education or special needs, there is never enough. One has to just look into the accounting of how funds are spent to realize that much is diverted away from the true intended mission — the education of the young.

First, we must agree, that “wastage” in present school systems is the product of long established practices built up over time. Even UNESCO in the 70s has probed this problem. Corruption occurs when other than the intended get enriched, especially with government-subsidized projects. In education it is the providers — those on the producer side instead of the consumer side that get to spend the tax funded money in their image of what’s right, too often in their own best interests. Bloated administrations, teacher unions, school boards, hordes of consultants and gurus, etc., etc. are all products of the usurping and appropriating of the vulnerable education dollar.

It’s time that much more attention be paid to directing the money to the consumer, to spend as they see fit. How can anyone deny that parents are often those most intimately equipped to best decide on the personal needs and talents of their children’s development?

The best plan so far that meets the criteria of accountability and prudent use of education dollars is the Education Savings Account plan, also called Education Debit Account or Scholarship Savings Plan or Parent Empowerment Program, etc. It is operating successfully in Arizona.http://thefederalist.com/2014/09/09/these-lucky-parents-get-to-control-their-kids-state-education-money/

Not only is the plan showing effectiveness and satisfaction, there is also a cost saving to the government as the Accounts are paid out at 90% of the education dollar to those parents who choose the program. Special Needs students get more according to their category. Think of the savings to the government budget. What’s to dislike about this model of paying the consumer directly?

[posted in Vancouver Sun, Jan 03 '15 on gifted story http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Gifted+students+being+identified/10698076/story.html ]
Category Education Reform, Opinions in media, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

Parents Teaching Parents

January, 2015

Ed Change Agents Come to Vancouver

Highlighting Education Consumers – 2014

Arizona Promises All Parents Equal Opportunity

ESA – Logic & Common Sense