Real Money Begets Real Change

From the Wall Street Journal - Obama's Education Chief Knows Stars Are Aligned for Real Change

http://online.wsj.com/wsjgate?subURI=%2Farticle%2FSB123723145666945761-email.html&nonsubURI=%2Farticle_email%2FSB123723145666945761-lMyQjAxMDI5MzE3NjIxMzYxWj.html

My take? Education has seen some wonderful isolated examples of change happening throughout the country. It will be wonderful to have enough money to spread these programs further. I'm a parent and a pragmatist, however. A parent or guardian's role in their child's education is vital to success regardless of if a child is lucky enough to be in an innovative program or not. My son is in a small school in the less affluent section of our town. We are a mix here because we live in the historic district and we have families who span all degrees of economic prosperity. Many of our neighbors have placed their kids in magnet schools or private schools. We prefer being a part of our neighborhood and so our son (and our daughter will as well) goes to the little school up the street.

I believe that even our small school does a great job despite being just a "plain old public school." The difference in my son's education? Me. I take responsibility for making sure he has good opportunity and he has enrichment or remediation when needed. But I'm different than the average person. I have access to this information.

I'd love to see a shake up in education. I think creativity is a good thing and I'm glad to see the government is willing to put big bucks behind innovation. My children are going to get a good education regardless of where they go because I'll make sure they do.

More Money News

From Technology & Learning Magazine on March 13, 2009
http://www.techlearning.com/article/16414# Follow the Money...

From eSchool News on March 12, 2009
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?I=57692

From THE Journal on March
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/24124
Ed Tech Funding Up in Newly Enacted Omnibus

Following passage in the United States Senate Tuesday, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 was signed into law March 11 by President Barack Obama. The act brings significant funds to education and education technology for the remainder of fiscal 2009 above and beyond those provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. But just how much?

News Release - U.S. Schools Look to SAM Learning as Example of an “International Best Practice” in Education

On BusinessWire this morning http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090313005144/en

U.S. Schools Look to SAM Learning as Example of an “International Best Practice” in Education: Student-driven Learning is Unique and Refreshing

ORLANDO, Florida — March 13, 2009 — SAM Learning U.K. quietly began pilot testing its high school exit exam prep program in a Bronx high school last summer. The company hoped that its student-driven learning program — which is used by nearly 50 percent of the U.K. high schools — would be as well received here as it is in British schools. Now that over 32,000 hours have been logged at pilot schools from Florida to New York to California, it seems the U.S. students are just as excited about SAM Learning as the Brits.

Spend Education Stimulus Money QUICKLY

From The New York Times
U.S. to Nation’s Schools: Spend Fast, Keep Receipts
Published: March 9, 2009
Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, issued the first guidelines for how the Education Department intends to channel $100 billion to the nation’s school districts...http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/education/09educ.html


From THE Journal
U.S. Education Department Set for Rapid Stimulus Fund Deployment

The United States Department of Education is reporting that it will distribute $44 billion in stimulus package funds for education within the next 30 to 45 days... http://www.thejournal.com/articles/24115

WSJ Article - Schools Crunch Calculus of Stimulus

...this article will be available to download for 7 days. http://online.wsj.com/wsjgate?subURI=%2Farticle%2FSB123603840738514543-email.html&nonsubURI=%2Farticle_email%2FSB123603840738514543-lMyQjAxMDI5MzA2MzAwMzM4Wj.html

A quote from part of the article:

"It's going to mean a softer landing for us," says Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction in California. That state is facing an $11.6 billion cutback in public-education funding, affecting the remainder of this school year as well as next. In some cases, Mr. O'Connell says, "instead of a superintendent having to decide between textbooks or a math teacher, we'll be able to do both. Or, it will mean a longer bus ride for kids, instead of eliminating transportation."