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Justice Scalia’s Passing: What it means for Friedrichs vs. CTA in 5 FAQs
posted by: Alana | February 18, 2016, 05:23 pm
In light of Justice Scalia’s sudden passing, many teachers are anxious to know the status of the Friedrichs vs. CTA Supreme Court case. Below is a list of frequently asked questions and their respective answers: Continue Reading...
Friedrichs vs. CTA Will Ring in the New Year at the Supreme Court
posted by: Alana | November 25, 2015, 03:20 pm
In July the U.S Supreme Court decided that it would take up the Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Association case. The case challenges the union’s ability to collect dues from employees who may not wish to be a part of the union, or object to the use of their dues on issues which they fundamentally disagree with. Continue Reading...
In a ruling last year that rocked the world of education, a California Superior Court decided in favor of nine public school students who challenged the state's quality-blind teacher tenure, dismissal and layoff laws. The Court found that by trapping students in classrooms with ineffective teachers, while pushing many effective teachers out of the classroom, the laws violated students' constitutional right to equal educational opportunity and in particular, disproportionately harmed low-income students and students of color.
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Unions Brace for Impact of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association
posted by: Guest contributor | July 16, 2015, 12:11 pm By Conner Dunleavy
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has recently started bracing itself for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. The decision could potentially end the practice of forced unionism from coast to coast allowing educators ultimate control over their paychecks. Continue Reading...
Supreme Court May Determine Fate of Forced Unionism
posted by: Guest contributor | July 06, 2015, 10:37 am By Conner Dunleavy
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that it will take up the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case. This landmark case challenges the ability of unions to collect dues from employees who may not wish to be a part of the union or object to the use of their dues on issues which they fundamentally disagree with. This case lays out a First Amendment freedom of speech challenge to the long standing forced unionism policy. Continue Reading...
Breaking: California Judge Strikes Down LIFO, Tenure Protections
posted by: Alix | June 10, 2014, 02:36 pm In a victory for education reform in California, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled today that state laws governing teacher tenure protections are unconstitutional. Continue Reading...As many students and schools gear up to celebrate eminent graduations, a recent large-scale study by America’s Promise Alliance shifts focus to why students drop out of high school. Continue Reading...The debate continues as nine students in California engage in a lawsuit over teacher tenure policies. Continue Reading...Since the National Council on Teacher Quality’s (NCTQ) recent report on teacher-preparation, the subject of new teacher requirements has been a hot topic. Recently, California signed a bill granting more flexibility to teacher preparation programs. Continue Reading...
During a recent TED talk, California teacher Pearl Arredondo discussed how excellent teachers and school choice saved her from a life of poverty and gang involvement.
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This year, under First Lady Michele Obama's leadership and the standards of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, schools across the country are implementing the dietary guidelines established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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2012 National Teacher of the Year Promotes Professionalism
posted by: Ruthie | October 23, 2012, 02:32 pm
Out of Burbank, California emerges a true gem in the teaching profession. Rebecca Mielwocki, the 2012 National Teacher of Year, has been speaking out about education reform and her vision for the teaching profession since being awarded the prestigious title in the spring. Mielwocki, a 7th grade science teacher, recently shared her opinions and teaching philosophy in an interview with Education Week.
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For generations, the public school teacher retirement system has functioned as a back-ended plan where teachers receive a modest salary in exchange for lifetime benefits and a guaranteed pension. However, the shifting demographics of the profession coupled with financial realities has led many states to question the sustainability of the current model.
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Teachers in the classroom today all remember being issued their textbooks in grade school year after year. Decades old charts and graphs accompanied by the occasional pencil drawing have been standard issue for generations. Currently the textbook business is a $4 billion-a-year industry; however, with dawn of new technologies and new insight into their true effectiveness, paper textbooks are on the fast track to possible extinction.
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Poll: Public Wants to See Teacher Evaluations, Performance Pay in California
posted by: Alix | November 21, 2011, 12:49 pm
The battle between teacher union push-back and the call to make public school teacher evaluations available to the public has been a topic of debate for over a year in California. Union officials claim the information should not be available to outsiders, while proponents argue that it is a critical part of creating a culture of transparency and accountability in the public schools. As the debate continues, a new bipartisan poll by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles Times reveals that the public not only favors releasing the information to the public, but districts should also factor in student test scores in the creation of teacher evaluations.
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What are your thoughts about homework in today's world? Conventional wisdom suggests students need homework to teach them to work independently and to reinforce curriculum after an initial lesson. While this is the intent of home-based projects, parents and students have been complaining that evenings filled with piles of worksheets can take away time from extracurricular activities and can be unfair to students without the proper home support. As a result, in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the school board has enacted a new policy that homework can count for only 10% of a student's overall grade.
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With states across the country facing budget shortfalls and underfunded pensions, the concept of "double-dipping," or collecting both a state pension and salary has come under fire from various states seeking to rein in spending. From California to New York, many employees have been accused of unethically boosting their incomes by also taking a state pension, pushing certain state legislators to back state pension reform legislation.
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On the heels of last fall's federal Race to the Top competitive grant program, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced last week that the program will resume this year with new funding. Comprised of $200 million earmarked for former runner-ups and $500 million for new early education state initiatives, the newly revived program has yielded both praise and criticism from policymakers and state education chiefs.
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I may get virtual rotten tomatoes thrown at me by some of you, but I liked the textbook that was issued for my 7th grade classes. (Dodging an overripe red projectile.) Continue Reading...
When the dust settles on 2011 legislative session, states across the country will be dealing with some of the most sweeping changes in education and labor policy in generations. For months, tough-talking governors and state legislatures have been in the process of pushing through legislation that seeks to curb union power and implement sweeping education reforms. While each state is experiencing reform on different levels, it is impossible to ignore that this year will have an impact on the entire country's education outlook for years to come.
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