"Do you know anyone who is hungry?"

They do at South High, and they're doing something about it.

Philly Superintendent on her way out?

EdWeek reports that it appears that the superintendent of Philadelphia's public schools, Arlene Ackerman, may be on her way out.

With Philadelphia superintendent Arlene Ackerman facing a potential cheating scandal, a $629 million budget deficit, and evidence of contracts being steered toward unqualified companies, lawmakers in the city are reportedly trying to negotiate her departure.

Unfortunately, it may cost the district $1.5 million. (Not that keeping her in office is a bargain.)
Yes, there's a Broad Academy connection: she was Superintendent in residence before she came to Philly, and she is a past member of their board.

SOS March coverage: UPDATED

In today's T&G
Should you be a Bay Stater heading down to D.C., there's a contingent meeting at the World War II memorial, Massachusetts regiment. Hope to see you!
I'll only add that I won't be able to liveblog the march, but I will tweet (you can find my Tweeter feed here), and I'll post when I get back.

UPDATE: It appears that it has come to the administration's attention that they are about to have thousands of upset parents, teachers, elected officials, educational researchers, and others turn up on their doorstep.  EdWeek reports that yesterday's meeting between organizers and ed officials (Duncan apparently stopped by for 10 minutes)...depends on who you ask. Duncan thinks they aren't far apart; organizers disagree. Considering that the previous times Duncan has met (by phone or otherwise) with some of the same people, I'm not confident he actually listened.

Quinsignamond School playground work

We're getting an official update on this work and the work behind Gates Lane at the August 23rd meeting of the Finance and Operations Standing Committee.

Does increased funding lead to better outcomes?

I haven't linked over to Bruce Babbitt on School Finance 101 in some time (but, seriously, read his stuff!). He's got a new post up now dealing with that perpetual question: if we increase funding for education, will it make any difference?
Massachusetts is an example!

Why I March

Next Saturday is the Save Our Schools March in Washington, D.C. I'll be heading down for the day. As part of the protest, those going are being asked to write "Why I March." Here's mine.

I believe in democracy.

I believe that, as the Massachusetts Constitution says, "(w)isdom, and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused generally among the body of the people, being necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties" that we must educate the next generation in order for democracy to succeed.

I believe that educating citizens to participate in a democracy is one of the most complicated and most important things we can do, and I believe that it cannot be legitimately represented on a data chart.

I believe that every five year old sitting in a classroom is there to become an educated member of our society, not simply a worker in our economy.

I believe that far too many decisions are being made about education in this country by people who never have stood before a classroom, never have supervised a recess, never have sat in a staff meeting, never have written and rewritten a lesson plan, never have wondered what to do about that one kid they just can't seem to reach.

I believe that far too many decisions are being made about education in this country by people who have never agonized over their decision on where to send their children to school, never watched with great concern as their local budget gets cut and cut again, never asked when their kids were going to learn history or science, never wondered where the joy that they remember in their own elementary days has gone in their children's lives.

I believe there is far too much corporate say in education, and that a society in which the voices of big business are listened to above all else is a society out of balance.

I believe that standardized testing is an illegitimate means of evaluating students, schools, teachers, principals, districts, and superintendents, and I believe that a decade under No Child Left Behind has left our nation's schools weaker.

I believe that education funding should not be subject to political whim, and I believe that the priority we place on funding our children's education speaks volumes about who we are as a nation.

When I took office as a member of the Worcester School Committee last January, I swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
However, at this time, national education policy does not work to establish justice. It does not ensure domestic tranquillity. It does not provide for the common defense. It does not promote the general welfare. As such, it does not form a more perfect union, and it will not secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
I meant what I said when I took that oath, and I fight hard to fulfill it.
The President, members of the Cabinet, and members of Congress also took such an oath. Next week, I will be in Washington to remind them to fulfill it.

That is why I march.

The wonder of Finland

I tend not to do a lot on education in Finland, as we've got a long way to go until we approach their poverty rate (according to the UN, in 2010, Finland's was 4.4%; the U.S. rate was 22.4%).
And before we get into the "you think we have to fix everything before we fix education" downspin: no, I don't. But let's not pretend that having a 1 in 5 poverty rate makes no difference in education.
However, if you're not familiar with how Finland, generally agreed by just about everyone to be doing a good job in education, runs their educational system, you might read this abridged Salon interview with Professor Tony Wagner, narrator of the new movie The Finland Phenomenon: Inside the World's Most Surprising School System. Or you can listen to the whole interview here.
I'll keep an eye out and see when it might be local.