SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A $2 million project being unveiled Wednesday in the lunchroom of a Texas elementary school will use high-tech cameras to photograph what foods children pile onto their trays - and later capture what they don't finish eating.
Digital imaging analysis of the snapshots will then calculate how many calories each student scarfed down. Local health officials said the program, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, is the first of its kind in a U.S. school, and will be so precise that the technology can identify a half-eaten pear left on a lunch tray.
Researchers hope parents will change eating habits at home once they see what their kids are choosing in schools. The data also will be used to study what foods children are likely to choose and how much of if they're eating.
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Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Charter School autonomy equals success for kids, but scares Mississippi Power Brokers.
BY: B. Keith Plunkett
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law. But, it didn’t work. SB 2774 passed the State Senate. No doubt it will have a harder time in a House controlled by Democrats where the Legislative Black Caucus wields a big stick.
View SB 2774 in it's entirety HERE
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus on full funding for public education. Johnson sited the tough budget year as a reason to focus spending on traditional education instead of spending money on charter schools.
In the Washington Examiner article Johnson was quoted as saying,
But, it’s a disingenuous attempt on Mr. Johnson’s part to change the conversation. Redesigning schools is exactly what the conversation is about and exactly why charter schools are being discussed to begin with. Johnson doesn’t want to redesign schools for higher expectations. He wants to keep them exactly as they are to keep expectations low and the teachers unions happy.
Cecil Brown, Democrat from Jackson and long-time proponent of the public school system, worried the measure would take some charter schools from under the scrutiny of the state board and local parent-led boards, but wouldn't provide an alternative oversight for them.
In other words, these “progressive thinkers” care less about progress than they do about control.
Charter schools are given a high level of autonomy in hiring and teacher oversight, and that scares Mississippi Democrats. Their ability to hold on to power is directly correlated to keeping teachers unions blissfully unworried about whether what they are teaching children is actually working.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools.
In a report released in 2010, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools showed how public charter schools can produce outstanding results when they have the freedom to hire highly qualified teaching teams, build innovative professional development programs and adjust curriculum or class structure to boost student achievement.
Continuing to throw money at a bottomless pit of the same-old-business-as-usual-problems doesn’t change a thing.
Following the release of the report Nelson Smith, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools had this to say,
Teachers at one of the profiled schools meet weekly with instructional coaches. Every teacher is observed weekly for at least 20 minutes and then given immediate, specific feedback for improvement. By contrast, many traditional districts evaluate teachers less than two times each year and give little feedback.
Another charter leader hired a former NASA scientist who responded to an online posting for a science teacher. The candidate was considered unqualified by the traditional district’s standards, which required specific teaching certifications. However, he is a highly-successful teacher at the charter school. Charters in some states may apply for a waiver from teacher certification requirements; in some jurisdictions certification is not required at all.
You can view the entire report HERE
New Orleans is another example of how charter schools dramatically change lives. In 2005 Orleans Parish was the second-worst-performing school district in the state, and in some schools 30 percent of seniors dropped out over the course of the year. In 2003 one high-school valedictorian failed the math portion of the state exit exam five times and could not graduate.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, resources were limited and charter schools filled the void. As a result, students and educators now have unprecedented control of their own education. Students can apply to and, if accepted, choose to attend any of the 46 charter schools or 23 “traditional” schools. The vast majority of schools have open-enrollment policies that allow any student to attend, regardless of past academic success. The prevalence of charters means that in most of the city’s schools, educators can choose how their schools are run. Even in traditional schools, principals have unusual autonomy over the hiring—and firing—of teachers, since the city’s teachers’ union lost its collective-bargaining rights.
Charter schools allow for quick changes that focus on student needs, not on teacher’s union goals. If charter schools see a problem school officials can quickly address it. That type of local control means a loss of power in the well furnished halls of Superintendent’s offices and Departments of Education buildings, and a focus towards putting kid’s achievement first. In fact, it might one day help do away with any need for an NAACP, and then we can all focus soley on everyones advancement. Not just a few with powerful friends.
Currently, more than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
 |
| Derrick Johnson |
View SB 2774 in it's entirety HERE
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus on full funding for public education. Johnson sited the tough budget year as a reason to focus spending on traditional education instead of spending money on charter schools.
In the Washington Examiner article Johnson was quoted as saying,
"You have to ask yourself, 'Is this not the same research I want for kids in every school?' If your answer is yes, why do we not have the progressive thinking and wherewithal to make this happen for public schools? The conversation should really be about how we redesign schools to meet the higher expectation for all children."
But, it’s a disingenuous attempt on Mr. Johnson’s part to change the conversation. Redesigning schools is exactly what the conversation is about and exactly why charter schools are being discussed to begin with. Johnson doesn’t want to redesign schools for higher expectations. He wants to keep them exactly as they are to keep expectations low and the teachers unions happy.
Cecil Brown, Democrat from Jackson and long-time proponent of the public school system, worried the measure would take some charter schools from under the scrutiny of the state board and local parent-led boards, but wouldn't provide an alternative oversight for them.
In other words, these “progressive thinkers” care less about progress than they do about control.
Charter schools are given a high level of autonomy in hiring and teacher oversight, and that scares Mississippi Democrats. Their ability to hold on to power is directly correlated to keeping teachers unions blissfully unworried about whether what they are teaching children is actually working.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools.
In a report released in 2010, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools showed how public charter schools can produce outstanding results when they have the freedom to hire highly qualified teaching teams, build innovative professional development programs and adjust curriculum or class structure to boost student achievement.
Continuing to throw money at a bottomless pit of the same-old-business-as-usual-problems doesn’t change a thing.
Following the release of the report Nelson Smith, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools had this to say,
“Freedom and flexibility have long been regarded as crucial to charter school success because they give principals and teacher’s authority to make decisions that directly enhance student achievement. These case studies illustrate why policymakers need to protect charter schools’ freedom to innovate and to act quickly when student success is at stake.”
Teachers at one of the profiled schools meet weekly with instructional coaches. Every teacher is observed weekly for at least 20 minutes and then given immediate, specific feedback for improvement. By contrast, many traditional districts evaluate teachers less than two times each year and give little feedback.
Another charter leader hired a former NASA scientist who responded to an online posting for a science teacher. The candidate was considered unqualified by the traditional district’s standards, which required specific teaching certifications. However, he is a highly-successful teacher at the charter school. Charters in some states may apply for a waiver from teacher certification requirements; in some jurisdictions certification is not required at all.
You can view the entire report HERE
New Orleans is another example of how charter schools dramatically change lives. In 2005 Orleans Parish was the second-worst-performing school district in the state, and in some schools 30 percent of seniors dropped out over the course of the year. In 2003 one high-school valedictorian failed the math portion of the state exit exam five times and could not graduate.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, resources were limited and charter schools filled the void. As a result, students and educators now have unprecedented control of their own education. Students can apply to and, if accepted, choose to attend any of the 46 charter schools or 23 “traditional” schools. The vast majority of schools have open-enrollment policies that allow any student to attend, regardless of past academic success. The prevalence of charters means that in most of the city’s schools, educators can choose how their schools are run. Even in traditional schools, principals have unusual autonomy over the hiring—and firing—of teachers, since the city’s teachers’ union lost its collective-bargaining rights.
Charter schools allow for quick changes that focus on student needs, not on teacher’s union goals. If charter schools see a problem school officials can quickly address it. That type of local control means a loss of power in the well furnished halls of Superintendent’s offices and Departments of Education buildings, and a focus towards putting kid’s achievement first. In fact, it might one day help do away with any need for an NAACP, and then we can all focus soley on everyones advancement. Not just a few with powerful friends.
Currently, more than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Mississippi NAACP goes after charter school law
NAACP opposes Miss. charter school legislation
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law.
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus instead on full funding for public education. He said shortchanging public schools in a tough budget year would "create and maintain a permanent situation of second-class citizens."
This year's budget talks will moved into their final phases in the coming weeks. But the Senate was poised to consider a charter school bill that would open the door for such schools to open throughout the state.
The state's current charter school law, which went into effect in 2010, only allows charter schools to open in struggling school districts.
Charter schools typically operate with a combination of public and private dollars. Supporters have said the schools are free to use innovative teaching methods that could improve academic performance, such as longer school days or more focused fields of study.
Read more: WE
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law.
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus instead on full funding for public education. He said shortchanging public schools in a tough budget year would "create and maintain a permanent situation of second-class citizens."
This year's budget talks will moved into their final phases in the coming weeks. But the Senate was poised to consider a charter school bill that would open the door for such schools to open throughout the state.
The state's current charter school law, which went into effect in 2010, only allows charter schools to open in struggling school districts.
Charter schools typically operate with a combination of public and private dollars. Supporters have said the schools are free to use innovative teaching methods that could improve academic performance, such as longer school days or more focused fields of study.
Read more: WE
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Yazoo bullying problems persist
WLBT first began getting calls about bullying at the Yazoo County high school last Friday.
Monday we interviewed one parent of a student who was accused of being a bully. Jeanetta March says her son was sent home from school after she attended a meeting at the high school Monday morning.
March says her son was not involved, but was blamed for participating in a bullying incident where 13 students surrounded another student and harassed them.
March says the incident happened over two weeks ago, and that school officials were warned by students claiming to be victims, but nothing was ever done to prevent it.
March said, "The principals were advised as to what was going on before it got to that level and before it came to the point where the parents now are having to be called in for meetings and get involved in something that should have been squashed. Should have been handled on their level a long time ago when it was first addressed to them."
Just last year, an incident resulting from bullying was caught on a school bus camera in the same school district.
A 14-year-old was seen waving a gun at other students on her bus, after she claimed she was the victim of bullying.
The gun was eventually wrestled away from her by a football player, and no one was hurt.
Yazoo county officials would only say the incident is under investigation.
WLBT
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
2 percent of Miss. teacher contracts not renewed
The state Department of Education says Mississippi schools cut about 2 percent of the jobs for certified teachers this academic year because of tight budgets.
That's a loss of about 705 jobs among the roughly 33,000 teaching positions.
State Board of Education member Claude Hartley told legislative budget writers Tuesday that losing teachers can mean larger class sizes, which can affect the quality of education.
The 705 job losses are for teachers whose contracts were not renewed.
The numbers don't include teaching jobs that are open because someone retired and a position wasn't filled.
The state Department of Education says 150 of the 152 school districts responded to its survey about employment levels. Agricultural high schools in Hinds and Coahoma counties did not respond.
SH
Monday, September 13, 2010
Governor's Commission On Consolidation Muddles Out a Non-solution
As long as consolidation is voluntary we'll have 152 districts. What a waste of time this whole excercise was!
Commission nixes school consolidationsMBJ
A commission reviewing Mississippi’s public school structure has proposed steps to smooth the way for school districts to consolidate, but doesn’t mandate any mergers.
The Governor’s Office released the report Friday.
Gov. Haley Barbour formed the Commission on Mississippi Educational Structure — a group of educators, business leaders and legislators — late last year after he proposed reducing the state’s 152 school districts by one-third as a way to save money.
As the commission did its work, talk of consolidation lost steam. Consultants hired by the commission on Barbour’s advice recommended the consolidation of about 20 districts instead of the 50 proposed by the governor.
The commission recommended that consolidation continue to be voluntary with the state providing some incentives to entice mergers.
The final report recommends that school districts within a county merge some administrative functions, such as the purchase of supplies. The commission also said the Legislature should provide some financial incentives to districts to consolidate.
The panel, headed by Tupelo banker Aubrey Patterson, said school districts that do consolidate should not be penalized for low achievement scores, and should be exempt from such standards for a while. The state Department of Education also would provide technical assistance to any newly consolidated districts.
“I believe these recommendations provide the Legislature with some excellent options for consideration,” Patterson said in a statement. “The commission examined the issue from every angle and developed recommendations that address the consolidation of both school districts and services.”
The panel also recommended that the state Board of Education be given authority to dissolve districts that are placed in conservatorship or the recovery programs and reconstitute them as a new district with new district lines and new leaders.
“These commonsense solutions are a good first step toward improving the educational and financial conditions of Mississippi schools,” Barbour said in a statement. “Through innovate approaches to education, we can improve the efficiency of our districts and quality of opportunities for Mississippi children.”
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Preliminary Fall Enrollment Figures Show Increase of 4.1 Percent For Mississippi Universities
Across Mississippi's eight public universities, preliminary fall 2010 enrollment figures show an increase of over 3,000 students or 4.1 percent from fall 2009 numbers, according to data released by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Instutions of Higher Learning today.
System-wide enrollment has increased annually since 1994.
“The trend lines indicate that more individuals are seeking to enhance their lives through increased post-secondary educational attainment,” said Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Commissioner of Higher Education. “We must find ways to support their efforts and increase retention and graduation rates in order to move Mississippi forward.”
Preliminary enrollment figures are unduplicated and count students one time if enrolled on more than one campus.
The only decreases occur at two of the states "historic black universities". Jackson State is expected to have a slight decrease of 1.1 percent, and Mississippi Valley State is expected to lose over 12 percent of last years enrollment numbers, according to the data.
The numbers below indicate the Fall of 2009 enrollment, the preliminary figures for Fall of 2010 and the percent change per university.
Alcorn State University
3,334
3,682
10.4%
Delta State University
4,031
4,324
7.3%
Jackson State University
8,783
8,689
-1.1%
Mississippi State University
18,601
19,644
5.6%
Mississippi University for Women
2,476
2,592
4.7%
Mississippi Valley State University
2,850
2,491
-12.6%
University of Mississippi Total
18,344
19,536
6.5%
15,293
15,778
3.2%
System Total
73,712
76,736
4.1%
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.
System-wide enrollment has increased annually since 1994.
“The trend lines indicate that more individuals are seeking to enhance their lives through increased post-secondary educational attainment,” said Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Commissioner of Higher Education. “We must find ways to support their efforts and increase retention and graduation rates in order to move Mississippi forward.”
Preliminary enrollment figures are unduplicated and count students one time if enrolled on more than one campus.
The only decreases occur at two of the states "historic black universities". Jackson State is expected to have a slight decrease of 1.1 percent, and Mississippi Valley State is expected to lose over 12 percent of last years enrollment numbers, according to the data.
The numbers below indicate the Fall of 2009 enrollment, the preliminary figures for Fall of 2010 and the percent change per university.
Alcorn State University
3,334
3,682
10.4%
Delta State University
4,031
4,324
7.3%
Jackson State University
8,783
8,689
-1.1%
Mississippi State University
18,601
19,644
5.6%
Mississippi University for Women
2,476
2,592
4.7%
Mississippi Valley State University
2,850
2,491
-12.6%
University of Mississippi Total
18,344
19,536
6.5%
University of MississippiUniversity of Southern Mississippi
15,932
17,067
7.1%
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2,412
2,469
2.4%
15,293
15,778
3.2%
System Total
73,712
76,736
4.1%
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Affirmative Action at work: Nettleton School District firestorm brewing.
 |
| Nettleton Middle School Principal Van Ross |
Children running for class officer posts at a Mississippi public school are only allowed to compete for certain positions based on their race, according to a memo handed out last week to students.
The Nettleton Middle School elections are divided between offices pegged for black and white students, according to the memo, which was provided to TSG by a parent. The document was handed out to every student in the school’s sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, and it details the race requirements for each of four class officer spots (president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and reporter).
 |
| A few days ago, according to blogger Suzy Richardson, Nettleton Middle School students brought home the above memo, which spells out the requirements for students who want to run for class office: |
Of the 12 offices for which students compete, eight are earmarked for white students (including the three class president spots), while four are termed “black” seats. Middle school administrators have not returned TSG phone calls, so it is unclear how this policy was established, or whether the number of offices apportioned for each race changes annually. Additionally, it is unknown how children who are not black or white would run for student government offices.
Students seeking class office were directed to return their election applications, complete with the petition signatures of 10 classmates, to science teacher Jenny Payne by August 24. The Nettleton middle school has about 400 students, and about 72 percent are white, according to a source familiar with the school board's operation. The majority of the remaining students are black.
TSG
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Wesley College plans to close
The cozy college, owned by the Congregational Methodist Church, has operated at its Mississippi 469 site, off U.S. 49, since 1972. Debt accrued from building a new dorm and a drop in contributions are the reasons the college is closing.
Registrar Charity Nelson said the college’s leaders learned of the closure Wednesday and have since notified students enrolled for fall classes. Nelson said the college plans to notify other students and alumni shortly.
The college has about 140 students per semester with 40 percent living on campus.
“We want to make sure our students are taken care of,” Nelson said. “We’re looking to make sure our students are placed.”
Nelson said the college has been in communication with other institutions. The college is known for its pastoral ministry program.
Clarion Ledger
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie continues to speak the truth
| Christie speaks in Washington DC, calling Newark schools 'absolutely disgraceful' |
Friday, May 14, 2010
52 percent of adult Latino immigrants are drop-outs
The Pew Hispanic Center released a sobering report this week reminding us about the bleak education outlook for the nation's largest minority group.
The most worrisome stat? More than half of all foreign-born Latino adults in the U.S. are high school drop-outs. That's compared with 25 percent of native-born Hispanics.
The implications of this trend are huge for a host of socio-economic reasons. But one of the most significant? It could lead to a more illiterate and ill-equipped workforce that's precisely what an information and technologically driven economy doesn't need.
From the report:
The most worrisome stat? More than half of all foreign-born Latino adults in the U.S. are high school drop-outs. That's compared with 25 percent of native-born Hispanics.
The implications of this trend are huge for a host of socio-economic reasons. But one of the most significant? It could lead to a more illiterate and ill-equipped workforce that's precisely what an information and technologically driven economy doesn't need.
From the report:
Some 41% of Hispanic adults age 20 and older in the United States do not have a regular high school diploma, compared with 23% of black adults and 14% of white adults.
Among Hispanics, there are significant differences between the foreign born and the native born in high school diploma attainment rates and GED credentialing rates. Some 52% of foreign-born Latino adults are high school drop-outs, compared with 25% of the native born. And among Hispanic drop-outs, some 21% of the native born have a GED, compared with just 5% of the foreign born.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
What happened to the Tenth Amendment?
The New York Times is reporting
The Obama administration on Saturday called for a broad overhaul of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind law, proposing to reshape divisive provisions that encouraged instructors to teach to tests, narrowed the curriculum, and labeled one in three American schools as failing.
Announcing that he would send his education blueprint to Congress on Monday, President Obama returned to a campaign promise to repair the sprawling federal law, which affects each of the nation’s nearly 100,000 public schools. His plan strikes a careful balance, retaining some key features of the Bush-era law, including its requirement for annual reading and math tests, while proposing far-reaching changes.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Schools may have to cut teachers
By STEVEN G. WATSON
Teachers and programs will have to be cut due to an anticipated $8 million shortfall in the upcoming budget year, Madison County school officials are saying.
Superintendent of Education Mike Kent this week called the district's budget situation "grim" and prepared county School Board members for some hard decisions as they prepare the 2010-2011 school year budget.
State revenues continue to plunge this fiscal year and projections are not good for 2010-2011. The state Tax Commission recently reported that February collections continued a pattern of decline for the 18th straight month, $33 million, or 12.39 percent below estimates.
So far this year state revenues are down about $458.5 million and expected to be even worse next year.
The School Board heard a preliminary budget proposal from Kent Monday which included cutting at least 20 teaching positions district wide, possible furloughs on days when students aren't attending school and a variety of cuts to current programs.
Kent said they've faced shortfalls over the last three years, but nothing like what is anticipated in the upcoming year.
Madison County Journal
Teachers and programs will have to be cut due to an anticipated $8 million shortfall in the upcoming budget year, Madison County school officials are saying.
Superintendent of Education Mike Kent this week called the district's budget situation "grim" and prepared county School Board members for some hard decisions as they prepare the 2010-2011 school year budget.
State revenues continue to plunge this fiscal year and projections are not good for 2010-2011. The state Tax Commission recently reported that February collections continued a pattern of decline for the 18th straight month, $33 million, or 12.39 percent below estimates.
So far this year state revenues are down about $458.5 million and expected to be even worse next year.
The School Board heard a preliminary budget proposal from Kent Monday which included cutting at least 20 teaching positions district wide, possible furloughs on days when students aren't attending school and a variety of cuts to current programs.
Kent said they've faced shortfalls over the last three years, but nothing like what is anticipated in the upcoming year.
Madison County Journal
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Real Health-Care Plan
There is something poetic about the Democrats’ plan to combine the health-care reconciliation bill with legislation that would make the government the “single payer” in the market for student loans. From subsidies to a “public option” to an outright government takeover, the history of American college-loan policy offers an instructive illustration of how the government can absorb an activity incrementally, claiming to cherish the benefits the private sector provides — until it becomes inconvenient. At that point, the private sector is cast as the enemy of sound reform. If the Democrats’ plan succeeds, then their health-care reconciliation bill will include a foreshadowing of its final act. And we can look to the case of student loans for a preview.
Democrats argue that the government should not be paying private lenders large subsidies to make low fixed-rate loans to college students when it could simply turn this activity over to the Department of Education, save itself billions of dollars, and redirect that money into other education projects. “The banking industry has had a free ride from taxpayers for too long,” declared Education Secretary Arne Duncan. But the bankers did not pull these subsidies out of thin air. The government provided them in exchange for a service: lending money to students at low fixed rates, so that more may attend college. It is similar, though not identical, to the way the Democrats’ health-care bill would succor the insurance industry by subsidizing its product while forcing people to buy it.
National Review
Democrats argue that the government should not be paying private lenders large subsidies to make low fixed-rate loans to college students when it could simply turn this activity over to the Department of Education, save itself billions of dollars, and redirect that money into other education projects. “The banking industry has had a free ride from taxpayers for too long,” declared Education Secretary Arne Duncan. But the bankers did not pull these subsidies out of thin air. The government provided them in exchange for a service: lending money to students at low fixed rates, so that more may attend college. It is similar, though not identical, to the way the Democrats’ health-care bill would succor the insurance industry by subsidizing its product while forcing people to buy it.
National Review
Monday, March 8, 2010
Miss. senate passes career-track courses bill
The Mississippi Senate has sent the governor a bill that allows the state’s high schools to offer career-track courses for students who don’t plan to attend a four-year university.
The Senate on Monday passed the bill, which had earlier passed the House.
The bill outlines 20 course unit requirements for the so-called career track curriculum. Students who choose to go that route would still have to earn four units of English and at least three each in math, science and social studies.
The legislation also allows a student to have a dual enrollment in a community or technical college.
The Associated Press
The Senate on Monday passed the bill, which had earlier passed the House.
The bill outlines 20 course unit requirements for the so-called career track curriculum. Students who choose to go that route would still have to earn four units of English and at least three each in math, science and social studies.
The legislation also allows a student to have a dual enrollment in a community or technical college.
The Associated Press
Madison County School Board expected to vote on water park and amphitheater tonight.
The Madison County School Board tabled a vote March 1st on whether to allow a developer to build a water park and amphitheater in Gluckstadt off Interstate 55. The developer said the project will bring millions to the area. Some neighbors are skeptical. Proponents and opponents alike will get the word tonight from the school board on whether it will be allowed.
School board members have toured a 66-acre site where developers want to build a new water park and a 15,000 seat amphitheater. Developers said they're willing to pour $40 million into the project.
School board members have toured a 66-acre site where developers want to build a new water park and a 15,000 seat amphitheater. Developers said they're willing to pour $40 million into the project.
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Growth of Dependency on Government Threatens the Future of American Democracy
From virtually the first day of his presidency, Barack Obama and his top deputies have advanced programs and initiatives that deepen and expand American citizens’ dependency on government. From new federal programs designed to boost economic activity to health care reform that could place the U.S. government at the center of the nation’s health care system, the central thrust of policy since January 2009 has been to increase Americans’ daily dependency on Washington.
However, the rapid expansion of dependency-creating programs did not begin with Barack Obama’s inauguration. Indeed, President Obama inherited substantial momentum toward greater dependency on government from the George W. Bush Administration and prior governments. President Bush’s years saw growth in all dependency creating categories, but particularly in programs aimed at health, education, and working-age income support.
The Heritage Foundation
Monday, March 1, 2010
Bozeman Scholars Announced
Recipients of the 2010 Dudley Bozeman Memorial Scholarships were Allen Smith and Justin Brown.
These $2000 awards were made possible by contributions in memory of Dudley Bozeman to the Mississippi Cattlemen's Foundation Endowment Fund.
These $2000 awards were made possible by contributions in memory of Dudley Bozeman to the Mississippi Cattlemen's Foundation Endowment Fund.
What America Needs: A Bumper Crop of Young Entrepreneurs
By Dr. Craig Columbus
The Center for Vision & Values
Compared to prior recessions, something is definitely different this time. If you’ve lost your job, it is harder than ever to replace it.
The New York Times reports that 6.3 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer, more than double the next-worst period, in the early 1980s.
Tighter credit, outsourcing, globalization, and productivity-enhancing technologies have played a role—and each is here to stay. As a result, many older employees are delaying retirement, making it increasingly difficult for recent graduates to enter the workforce.
Voices across the political spectrum agree that America desperately needs private sector job growth, and many are calling for change. In a recent USA Today editorial, Robert Kiyosaki, the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, calls for two different public-school programs: one for employees and one for entrepreneurs.
Mr. Kiyosaki writes, “If I were running America's school system, I would create the U.S. Business Academy for Entrepreneurs, modeled after our federal military academies. Admissions would be via congressional appointment along with nominations from community business leaders.”
He envisions a U.S. Academy for Entrepreneurs that would produce leaders focused on sustainable jobs and responsible growth. Finally, Mr. Kiyosaki says that his academy could boost results by having “only real entrepreneurs as teachers.”
In my opinion, Mr. Kiyosaki identifies the root problem of America’s job malaise—the need to produce more entrepreneurs. However, I depart from his solution to create more government-run education programs, regardless of how selective or expertly staffed.
As one tasked with educating future entrepreneurs, I would argue that the state of entrepreneurial education has never been more vibrant. Three decades ago, only a handful of colleges offered courses in entrepreneurship. Through the pioneering work of scholars such as Babson’s Dr. Jeffry Timmons and the advocacy of the Kauffman Foundation and others, the field has subsequently flourished.
Today, over 2,000 academic institutions offer at least one course in entrepreneurship compared with just 16 in 1970. Five hundred colleges and universities currently grant an entrepreneurship degree, up from 175 in 1990. And 200 university-based entrepreneurship centers collaborate as members of The Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC).
As for the notion that the discipline lacks the perspective of “real” entrepreneurs, there has been a concerted effort by top entrepreneurship programs to recruit current or recent entrepreneurs as classroom instructors. Perhaps more than in any department on campuses across America, academic administrations are increasingly receptive to the integration of practitioners.
I am not suggesting that entrepreneurship education cannot be improved. For example, we need a greatly expanded dialogue about ethics, a stronger commitment to service learning, and much more emphasis on how to actually build things.
But America’s aspiring entrepreneurs have more educational choices and more intellectual capital resources than at any point in the nation’s history. So where is the bottleneck in entrepreneurial dynamism? In a word: incentives.
Much like the Great Depression, the current recession has left an imprint on many young people. They have seen their parents struggle with mortgage debt, and classmates flounder in their job searches. It’s no wonder that students are increasingly drawn to “safe” endeavors.
In the current environment, that most often corresponds to government or government-backed jobs. According to The Wall Street Journal, federal agencies have been hiring at a pace not seen since the end of the Cold War.
However, the nation’s entrepreneurial framework requires more creative and lasting solutions—and soon. That’s because America’s demographics demand a bumper crop of young entrepreneurs.
Nearly one in three American workers will be over the age of 50 by 2012. The “baby boomers,” those born between 1946 and 1965, started small businesses in record numbers during the 1970s and ‘80s.
Just as with the massively overbuilt stock of residential housing, supply-demand imbalances often create severe economic shocks. During the next 20 years, the outcome of the so-called “silver tsunami” will be, in part, determined by boomers finding willing buyers for their small business ventures to fund their retirement needs.
However, current and aspiring entrepreneurs repeat a consistent refrain. They want government to control its spending for the sake of long-term interest rate stability. They don’t want to feel like they are on the outside looking in on a state capitalism “green zone.” And the entrepreneurial class seeks relief from the burdens of state licensing and regulatory departments.
Entrepreneurs also crave a better business climate with reduced payroll taxes, tax credits for research and development, and more manageable workers’ compensation and healthcare costs. Many are attracted to states with low or no income and capital-gains taxes.
Finally, we need to help entrepreneurs attract seed capital and make it easier to get new business loans without personal guarantees, allowing them to retain larger equity stakes.
There will be no meaningful job growth beyond the administrative state without a national embrace of those entrepreneurs that create them. A generation of skilled young entrepreneurs stands ready. Is their government ready for them?
The Center for Vision & Values
Compared to prior recessions, something is definitely different this time. If you’ve lost your job, it is harder than ever to replace it.
The New York Times reports that 6.3 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer, more than double the next-worst period, in the early 1980s.
Tighter credit, outsourcing, globalization, and productivity-enhancing technologies have played a role—and each is here to stay. As a result, many older employees are delaying retirement, making it increasingly difficult for recent graduates to enter the workforce.
Voices across the political spectrum agree that America desperately needs private sector job growth, and many are calling for change. In a recent USA Today editorial, Robert Kiyosaki, the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, calls for two different public-school programs: one for employees and one for entrepreneurs.
Mr. Kiyosaki writes, “If I were running America's school system, I would create the U.S. Business Academy for Entrepreneurs, modeled after our federal military academies. Admissions would be via congressional appointment along with nominations from community business leaders.”
He envisions a U.S. Academy for Entrepreneurs that would produce leaders focused on sustainable jobs and responsible growth. Finally, Mr. Kiyosaki says that his academy could boost results by having “only real entrepreneurs as teachers.”
In my opinion, Mr. Kiyosaki identifies the root problem of America’s job malaise—the need to produce more entrepreneurs. However, I depart from his solution to create more government-run education programs, regardless of how selective or expertly staffed.
As one tasked with educating future entrepreneurs, I would argue that the state of entrepreneurial education has never been more vibrant. Three decades ago, only a handful of colleges offered courses in entrepreneurship. Through the pioneering work of scholars such as Babson’s Dr. Jeffry Timmons and the advocacy of the Kauffman Foundation and others, the field has subsequently flourished.
Today, over 2,000 academic institutions offer at least one course in entrepreneurship compared with just 16 in 1970. Five hundred colleges and universities currently grant an entrepreneurship degree, up from 175 in 1990. And 200 university-based entrepreneurship centers collaborate as members of The Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC).
As for the notion that the discipline lacks the perspective of “real” entrepreneurs, there has been a concerted effort by top entrepreneurship programs to recruit current or recent entrepreneurs as classroom instructors. Perhaps more than in any department on campuses across America, academic administrations are increasingly receptive to the integration of practitioners.
I am not suggesting that entrepreneurship education cannot be improved. For example, we need a greatly expanded dialogue about ethics, a stronger commitment to service learning, and much more emphasis on how to actually build things.
But America’s aspiring entrepreneurs have more educational choices and more intellectual capital resources than at any point in the nation’s history. So where is the bottleneck in entrepreneurial dynamism? In a word: incentives.
Much like the Great Depression, the current recession has left an imprint on many young people. They have seen their parents struggle with mortgage debt, and classmates flounder in their job searches. It’s no wonder that students are increasingly drawn to “safe” endeavors.
In the current environment, that most often corresponds to government or government-backed jobs. According to The Wall Street Journal, federal agencies have been hiring at a pace not seen since the end of the Cold War.
However, the nation’s entrepreneurial framework requires more creative and lasting solutions—and soon. That’s because America’s demographics demand a bumper crop of young entrepreneurs.
Nearly one in three American workers will be over the age of 50 by 2012. The “baby boomers,” those born between 1946 and 1965, started small businesses in record numbers during the 1970s and ‘80s.
Just as with the massively overbuilt stock of residential housing, supply-demand imbalances often create severe economic shocks. During the next 20 years, the outcome of the so-called “silver tsunami” will be, in part, determined by boomers finding willing buyers for their small business ventures to fund their retirement needs.
However, current and aspiring entrepreneurs repeat a consistent refrain. They want government to control its spending for the sake of long-term interest rate stability. They don’t want to feel like they are on the outside looking in on a state capitalism “green zone.” And the entrepreneurial class seeks relief from the burdens of state licensing and regulatory departments.
Entrepreneurs also crave a better business climate with reduced payroll taxes, tax credits for research and development, and more manageable workers’ compensation and healthcare costs. Many are attracted to states with low or no income and capital-gains taxes.
Finally, we need to help entrepreneurs attract seed capital and make it easier to get new business loans without personal guarantees, allowing them to retain larger equity stakes.
There will be no meaningful job growth beyond the administrative state without a national embrace of those entrepreneurs that create them. A generation of skilled young entrepreneurs stands ready. Is their government ready for them?
Obama plans to target low-performing schools
President Barack Obama will announce Monday a national effort to reduce the high school dropout rate and better prepare students for successful college careers.
The administration has committed $3.5 billion to fund changes in persistently low-performing schools around the country, with priority given to high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent.
Every day, 7,000 students drop out of school -- a total of 1.2 million students each year. In addition, only 70 percent of entering high school freshmen graduate every year, creating a loss of $319 billion in potential earnings.
The Hill
The administration has committed $3.5 billion to fund changes in persistently low-performing schools around the country, with priority given to high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent.
Every day, 7,000 students drop out of school -- a total of 1.2 million students each year. In addition, only 70 percent of entering high school freshmen graduate every year, creating a loss of $319 billion in potential earnings.
The Hill
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