Monday, April 06, 2009

Tougher learning standards are working. Why do some lawmakers want to weaken them?

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090406/OPINION01/904060304/1008/Tougher+learning+standards+are+working.+Why+do+some+lawmakers+want+to+weaken+them

Monday, April 6, 2009

Our editorial: MEAP sweep

Tougher learning standards are working. Why do some lawmakers want to weaken them?

Michigan students are catching up with the rest of the industrial world in learning -- and we have higher standards to thank for that. Yet some shortsighted state lawmakers still want to lower them.

For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan children posted improved math scores. In results that were released late last week, more than 75 percent of students in grades 3-8 tested as proficient or better in their math scores on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program test, commonly known at the MEAP. (More improvement is needed, of course, both in math and reading skills.)

Even math scores among African-Americans and Latinos, two groups that often lag in student learning, improved. Seventh-grade African-Americans' math scores jumped more than 28 percent, and seventh-grade Hispanics' rose 16 percent.

That's particularly noteworthy because Michigan's urban black children rank as the nation's worst student achievers in their peer group, according to recent national test scores. Middle school math competence is a strong predictor of high school success.

"These kids should do better in high school," says Jan Ellis, a Michigan Department of Education spokesperson.

What accounts for the improvement? More accountability for teachers and academic rigor.

In the 2004-05 school year, Michigan provided teachers with a common understanding of what should be taught in classrooms. It also demanded better instruction from teachers.

The lesson: Expect more from teachers and students, and they will deliver.

You'd think state legislators would get this lesson by now. But some can't seem to learn.

Democratic state Rep. Joel Sheltrown of West Branch is one of these lawmakers. He believes Michigan's young people need the same training as they did in the 1960s.

His supporters, and they are growing in number, seek to gut Michigan's high school curriculum before it's even been fully implemented. Sheltrown and other lawmakers have introduced a bill that allows students to bypass the curriculum requirements.

Sheltrown argues he wants to help students by making high school easier. Providing students with dumbed-down classes won't help anyone.

What Sheltrown and his supporters may not realize is that if they dilute the curriculum, they risk losing hundreds of millions of federal dollars. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said states that don't have high curriculum standards and accountability for their schools will not be eligible for much of the federal education stimulus dollars.

Michigan's new curriculum and the accountability for teachers have proven themselves a success.

Too few things are working in Michigan. We shouldn't mess with those that are.

<><><><><><><><><><><>
Education for Liberation!
Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

Sacramento, California, Aztlan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Humane-Rights-Agenda/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/THIRD-WORLD-NEWS/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NetworkAztlan_News/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/

Alumni explore Latino issues at conference

http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/28493

Alumni explore Latino issues at conference

Charlotte Wang Contributing Reporter

Published Monday, April 6, 2009

More than 200 Latino alumni from around the country gathered at Yale this weekend for the University's first-ever Latino Alumni reunion, where participants celebrated the growth of the University's Latino community and discussed the challenges it still faces.

Through roundtable discussions, panels and workshops on the history of Latinos at Yale, alumni addressed reaching out to Latino prospective students, increasing Latino representation on campus and building stronger regional networks of Latino alumni nationwide.

"The Latino community on campus has grown significantly over the past 30 years," said Rosalinda Garcia, assistant dean of Yale College and director of La Casa Cultural. "I am thrilled to see so many alumni crying out of happiness to see the fruit of their work."

Garcia said the reunion allowed students on campus to show gratitude for the legacy of Latino alumni at Yale — a legacy that includes the pre-orientation program Cultural Connections and the ethnic counselor program, which the University is phasing out this year. For alumni, the event, which took more than a year to plan, was also a chance to see how Yale has changed since they last walked its halls.

"This is a special event that brings back memories of how difficult it was for Latinos to feel comfortable at Yale," said Eduard Padro '75, who founded Despierta Boricua, an organization for Puerto Rican students. "The very first issue was the lack of representation back in the '70s."

At the reunion's closing ceremony, La Casa's undergraduate coordinators outlined work that remains to be done on Yale's campus. Nicole de Paz '11, Diandra Fermin '12 and Jennifer Ramos '10 said efforts need to be made to expand alumni mentoring and to attract both Latino students and tenured faculty. And Latino activities on campus could be much more vibrant with more financial backing, Garcia said, adding that the $2,000 La Casa was given to plan Latino Heritage Month events left students "forced to spend so much time on fundraising."

Latino alumni have never held a reunion on a national level, said Daniel Acosta, co-chairman of the interim board of directors of the Yale Latino Alumni Association, despite strong Latino involvement in local alumni associations.

"We expect to get people here to feel the excitement and opportunities for an organization like this," Acosta said, "we hope to push for organizational awareness and get 500 people for the next reunion."

Students the University characterizes as "Hispanic" make up 8.1 percent of the undergraduate student body.

<><><><><><><><><><><>
Education for Liberation!
Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

Sacramento, California, Aztlan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Humane-Rights-Agenda/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/THIRD-WORLD-NEWS/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NetworkAztlan_News/

An accurate count of Latinos

http://www.impre.com/eldiariony/opinion/2009/4/6/an-accurate-count-of-latinos-118051-1.html

An accurate count of Latinos
2009-04-06| El Diario NY

volver arriba

Census day will take place in a year. But if the Obama administration doesn't take steps to protect this enumeration, Latinos and other groups will be at risk of an undercount.

The U.S. Census Bureau is charged with ensuring an accurate count. Last week, President Obama nominated Robert Groves, who, if confirmed, has to hit the ground running to deal with a slew of issues – some old, others new.

Among the persistent problems is the undercount of certain groups. In 2000, the Census count missed 4.5 million people, most of who were black or Hispanic. The count will be further complicated by the displacement triggered by the foreclosure crisis.

The Constitution mandates that every 10 years, each person living in the country, regardless of immigration status, must be counted. The Census determines the distribution of federal funds and the number of congressional districts within states. But an environment in which immigrant families are in fear of raids and deportation threatens to undermine an accurate representation of communities throughout the country.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, whose department oversees the bureau, has spoken to protecting the confidentiality of census forms. But the Obama administration has to take a step further.

During the 2000 census, large-scaled immigration raids were paused so that people would not be fearful of responding to the census. Congressman William Macy Clay has said he will push for the same policy.

The Census Bureau requested a halt a couple of years ago but the Bush administration rejected that request. Obama can, and should, depart from that shortsighted decision.

+++

Education for Liberation!
Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

Bishop retirements present opportunities

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/05/Bishop-retirements-present-opportunities/UPI-25431238948753/

Bishop retirements present opportunities

Published: April 5, 2009 at 12:25 PM

"U.S. Catholic Church" search results
"looming retirements" search results
"Times quoted church obse..." search results

LOS ANGELES, April 5 (UPI) -- The Vatican will have a big opportunity to reshape the U.S. Catholic Church with the looming retirements of many bishops, observers say.

The opening of so many top positions could be used to help erase the trauma of priest sexual abuse that has plagued the church in recent years and to better connect with the growing numbers of immigrant church-goers, the Los Angeles Times reported.

One example could be the country's largest archdiocese in Los Angeles, where the pending retirement of Cardinal Roger Mahony, 73, could result in the appointment of the first U.S. Latino cardinal. The Times quoted church observers as saying three Latinos, two from California, are being considered as possible successors to Mahony.

Other influential Catholic prelates reportedly nearing retirements or resignations include Chicago Cardinal Francis George, 72, and Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, 73, who is a member of the Vatican body that recommends bishop candidates to the pope.

"So much of that fresh start depends on how the successor handles the problems" in each diocese, Rev. Anthony Pogorelc, a sociologist of religion at the Catholic University of America, told the Times. "It will depend on transparency."

Education for Liberation! Seize the Time! Join Up! Get involved! Take a leap of faith!
Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

Sacramento, California, Aztlan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Humane-Rights-Agenda/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/THIRD-WORLD-NEWS/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NetworkAztlan_News/

Aztlan-Network-News Blog

Monday, April 06, 2009