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I found this blog post interesting because it was more of a quick blurb about an interesting book that educators may be interested in reading. I think I would enjoy reading it some day and perhaps Mrs. Ashely or Mr. Brunelli can work it in the curriculum. The book is called Unlearned Lessons written by W. James Popham and it describes six reoccurring and critical issues that are present in the United States educational system "too many curricular targets; the underutilization of classroom assessment; preoccupation with instructional process; the dearth of “affective” assessments, i.e., those focused on attitudes, interests, and values; instructionally insensitive accountability tests; and the reality that educators “know almost nothing about educational assessment.” It sounds like an interesting read, and I suggest we all check it out.
 * Book Alert: Unlearned Lessons.**

This article speaks on the shortcomings of the dramatic ideals of 'turnarounds' in the educational system and how if a certain program that promises betterment to urban schools is unsuccessful, than the program should be shut down to prevent further waste of student's time and tax payer's money. Take overs of failing schools often do not work, often not not relating to the No Child Left Behind Act, not reaching Adequate Yearly Progress, these programs will not work in the space of a few years. Attempts to better the urban school system will take years of planning and facilitating that plan. There are no quick fixes. Unfortunately, those plans do not exist as described 'it's like finding the cure to cancer' and despite years of research and millions of dollars spent, educators are no closer to finding an answer. "One study reported, “The NCLB law does not specify any additional actions for schools that remain in the implementation phase of restructuring for more than one year, and [the Department] has offered little guidance on what to do about persistently struggling schools.” Despite the pessimistic tone, however, it is present everywhere. Turnarounds are not easily achieved in any field - as seen in our current economic situation- and as future educators we must be aware, willing to sift through countless data, and be creative to solve the education crisis.
 * The Turnaround Fallacy**

On a slightly more uplifting note, charter schools in Albany have been doing considerably well. Nine charter schools have opened up, siphoning off a decent amount of students out of the public school system causing school boards to cut back on teachers, creating tension between public school administrators and charter advocates. Charter schools in Albany opened by Tom Carroll have reaches all AYP goals and offer an excellent choice to the cities poorer students. “You might say that our success is the revenge of the amateurs,” jokes Carroll, over a recent lunch at a downtown Albany bistro. “We didn’t really know anything about education when we started—and perhaps that’s why we have succeeded.” Our refers to what some refer disparagingly to as "the white guys;" Carroll, Backstrom, Murphy, Bender, and Brooks a team of politically and economically savvy colleagues who examined the political system and discovered that most budgeting and tax roads lead to education. With the creation of the Charter School Research center, the team allows 100 applicants to enlist in trying to create a charter school, the team will aid in the creation of the school and within a few years, two new schools were born. Of course, going into such an ambitious endeavor blind was nerve wracking, but recieving 1000 applicant upon opening showed the communities interest in the opportunity that charter schools supply.
 * Brighter Choices in Albany**

Last May students gathered outside of the congressional meeting to vote out the federally funded voucher program after the end of next school year. Vouchers provide parents money to send their students to privately operated schools, proving to be very controversial due to the fact that not all participants achieve more in reading and math. Nineteen of Twenty voucher programs are directly sponsored by the government, the eligibility is for students who's income is 187 percent below the poverty line. Annually the government places $14 million into these programs serving about 1,700 students with the maximum voucher valued at $7,500. The most gains are seen in reading, not math as shown by an RTC study:
 * Lost Opportunities**

Clearly the debate over vouchers and the effects of charter schools on a child achievement in need of further study, but hopefully one day students won't have to leave their public schools in search of a better education.


 * __Second Quarter Blogs:__**

//Charter Schools - The Wave of the future//

Chater schooling is a relatively new system is starting to feel the pressure of finding it's place in the educational world. Despire it's 15 year run, charters still do not conform to a constant set of ideals. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools states it's 18 goals such as 'suprring competition, increasing proffesional opportunites for teachers, and encouragin the greater use of technology". Aslo, because of the original n ature of chartering, school are unable to look pat reform for guidance. Some view chartering as an educatinal system operatin galong side traditional districts. This parallelist view sees that chartering can provide more options and improved opporunities to disadvantaged students by simply growing along side districts and serving more gamiles. The second group views Charter schools as a tool to help traditional schooling improve - arguing that charters can spur district improvement through a blend of gentle competition and friendly informational sharing. However, both veiws are mistaken because with out a substantial change in tactics chartering will not beable to sustain it's current growth rate. This is supported by the fact that only two percent of public school students attend charters and two theirds of charter schools are only in seven states. Only if charters choose to find a third, more expansive view: to replace the traditional district system in America's cities and towns with fluid, self-improving systems of charter schools.

//Fraud In the Lunch Room//

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) costs taxpayers $8 billion each year and serves 31 million American children everyday. Thousands of schooldistricst each year hand out applications for the federal government's NSLP in attempts to "help low-income students succeed in public and private school classrooms by ensuring they have adequate nutrition". This goal is comprized of national funds that unfortunalty reach ineligible familes and sometimes fail to reach the neediest students. Eligibility helps determine poverty rates, hence influencing funding for innumerable government programs that inform school distric policies and policty research. For example schools whith a h igher percentage of student eligble for the NLCP also recieve a larger discoun on the federal government's E-Program - clearly giving schools an incentive to register as many students as possible.In Missouri for example each register child brings in $1,025 in state money for school districts.

//Gender Gap: Are Boys Being Short-Changed in K-12 Schooling?// It seems that after decades of struggling for girl's rights in education, the tables have turned. Richard Whitmire, author of the book //Why Boys Fail//, challanges Susan McGee Bailey the author of //How Schools Short-Change Girls// in 1992. Richard Whitmire claims that most districst believe literacy and getting students on course to go to college is ultimatly the most imporant track of education, starting as early as possible. However Whitmire defends the fact that boys are not developmentally ready for those skills (when taught with traditional methods) and that boys fall behind at a rapid rate. He explains that seeing girls so far ahead discourages them from every trying to catch up. Susan McGee offers the counter argument that while others are so worried about the develompental challenges of boys, the average female's potential is stunted by sterotyping. She believes that the sterotyping that girl's aren't good at math and science factor into the lack of female presence in these feilds. Also, parenting can also be blamed for the idea that 'sitting around with a book is a "girl thing"' and contributes to a lack of male involvement.