On Wednesday, April 11 at noon PST, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Alexa Posny, will host a Twitter Town Hall discussion. The discussion, which coincides with CEC's Annual Conference and Expo, will focus on "the importance of early learning, great teachers and leaders, high student achievement, and college and career readiness as we strive to improve results and outcomes for all infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities."
To participate, use the hashtag #CECTownHall or follow @usedgov, @arneduncan and @CECMembership.
For more information, visit the US Department of Education's blog post here.
Meghan Covert Russell
You can also read these blog posts and other education and law-related news on Twitter by following @MeghanCRussell
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Documentary "Bully" Secures PG-13 Rating
The documentary film, "Bully," which had originally received an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), has now secured a PG-13 rating from the same group. The film follows five students and their families that have been affected by bullying.
The previous R-rating was due to strong language. That R-rating would prohibit children under age 17 from seeing the film without an adult -- much of the intended audience would have been kept out of the theater. However, the film has been editing to remove several instances of the language and now children as young as 13 can view it in the theater.
This film, and the struggle over the rating, has brought the issue of bullying front and center in Hollywood. Celebrities such as Joel McHale, Wilmer Valderrama, and Victoria Justice were present at the red carpet premiere, which was covered by E! Entertainment.
How does your District use different forms of media to help combat bullying? Do you plan on showing films such as "Bully" as a tool to educate students?
Remember that under AB 9, all Districts must update their anti-harassment policies to include anti-bullying and anti-intimidation language by July 2012.
For more coverage on "Bully" and the fight to get a PG-13 rating, see the MSNBC article here.
(Please note we have not yet viewed the film. This blog post is intended to be an editorial comment on the challenges faced in producing the film and the challenges faced by schools in educating their students on the dangers of bullying.)
The previous R-rating was due to strong language. That R-rating would prohibit children under age 17 from seeing the film without an adult -- much of the intended audience would have been kept out of the theater. However, the film has been editing to remove several instances of the language and now children as young as 13 can view it in the theater.
This film, and the struggle over the rating, has brought the issue of bullying front and center in Hollywood. Celebrities such as Joel McHale, Wilmer Valderrama, and Victoria Justice were present at the red carpet premiere, which was covered by E! Entertainment.
How does your District use different forms of media to help combat bullying? Do you plan on showing films such as "Bully" as a tool to educate students?
Remember that under AB 9, all Districts must update their anti-harassment policies to include anti-bullying and anti-intimidation language by July 2012.
For more coverage on "Bully" and the fight to get a PG-13 rating, see the MSNBC article here.
(Please note we have not yet viewed the film. This blog post is intended to be an editorial comment on the challenges faced in producing the film and the challenges faced by schools in educating their students on the dangers of bullying.)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
March Comes in Like a Lion ... And Remains a Bear
As the old idiom goes, "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb." Unfortunately for many California school districts, March also goes out like a lion as they are dealing with the statutorily prescribed timeline for teacher layoffs.
March 15, as we know too well, is the date by which teachers must receive initial notification that they may be laid off -- often called a "pink slip." And as we also know too well, this date does not align with the State's budget timeline. '
The State's Legislative Analyst Office ("LAO") recently issued a review of the teacher layoff process and its recommendations. The review addresses several provisions of the layoff process, including the timeline, hearing process, selection criteria, and state involvement. Among the LAO's numerous recommendations include: changing the deadline for initial notification from March 15 to June 1 and final layoffs from May 15 to August 1; moving from an automatic hearing to a "streamlined alternate process"; exploring alternatives to seniority-based layoffs; and consider expanding locally negotiated options.
Do you agree with the LAO's suggestions? What other remedies would you suggest?
See here for a complete look at the LAO's findings and recommendations.
Meghan Covert Russell
March 15, as we know too well, is the date by which teachers must receive initial notification that they may be laid off -- often called a "pink slip." And as we also know too well, this date does not align with the State's budget timeline. '
The State's Legislative Analyst Office ("LAO") recently issued a review of the teacher layoff process and its recommendations. The review addresses several provisions of the layoff process, including the timeline, hearing process, selection criteria, and state involvement. Among the LAO's numerous recommendations include: changing the deadline for initial notification from March 15 to June 1 and final layoffs from May 15 to August 1; moving from an automatic hearing to a "streamlined alternate process"; exploring alternatives to seniority-based layoffs; and consider expanding locally negotiated options.
Do you agree with the LAO's suggestions? What other remedies would you suggest?
See here for a complete look at the LAO's findings and recommendations.
Meghan Covert Russell
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Appellate Court Case Significantly Impacts The Classification And Release Of Categorical Employees
From KMTG's most recent education Legal Alert:
In Stockton Teachers Association v. Stockton Unified School District (--- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, Cal.App. 3 Dist., March 1, 2012), the third district court of appeal addressed whether categorically funded employees hired pursuant to Education Code section 44909 may be treated as temporary employees or whether they must be classified as probationary employees. The court determined that except in very limited circumstances employees must be treated as probationary employees and may only be released as temporary employees if they are terminated at the expiration of a categorically funded program.
In light of this decision, districts are urged to review their classification of categorical employees immediately and to discuss the impact of this case with legal counsel. If a district’s classification of temporary employees does not meet the standards described in the Stockton Teachers’ Association case, it may be necessary to take action, such as potential status changes and non reelections or layoff notices for categorical employees converted to probationary status. This is especially important for any districts or county offices that have issued or are considering issuing notices of layoff to certificated employees before March 15th this year.
For more in depth discussion of this case and it's implications, read the full text of KMTG's Legal Alert.
Meghan Covert Russell
In Stockton Teachers Association v. Stockton Unified School District (--- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, Cal.App. 3 Dist., March 1, 2012), the third district court of appeal addressed whether categorically funded employees hired pursuant to Education Code section 44909 may be treated as temporary employees or whether they must be classified as probationary employees. The court determined that except in very limited circumstances employees must be treated as probationary employees and may only be released as temporary employees if they are terminated at the expiration of a categorically funded program.
In light of this decision, districts are urged to review their classification of categorical employees immediately and to discuss the impact of this case with legal counsel. If a district’s classification of temporary employees does not meet the standards described in the Stockton Teachers’ Association case, it may be necessary to take action, such as potential status changes and non reelections or layoff notices for categorical employees converted to probationary status. This is especially important for any districts or county offices that have issued or are considering issuing notices of layoff to certificated employees before March 15th this year.
For more in depth discussion of this case and it's implications, read the full text of KMTG's Legal Alert.
Meghan Covert Russell
Friday, March 2, 2012
Happy Read Across America Day!
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places that you'll go." ~ Dr. Suess, I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
Today, March 2, is Read Across America Day! The annual celebration, intended to motivate students to read, marks the birthday of beloved children's author, Dr. Suess.
What does your school do to celebrate Read Across America Day? How do you motivate students to read all year long?
For more information, visit the National Educational Association's website.
Meghan Covert Russell
Today, March 2, is Read Across America Day! The annual celebration, intended to motivate students to read, marks the birthday of beloved children's author, Dr. Suess.
What does your school do to celebrate Read Across America Day? How do you motivate students to read all year long?
For more information, visit the National Educational Association's website.
Meghan Covert Russell
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
School District Did Not Violate Teacher’s Constitutional Rights When It Ordered Religious Banners Removed From His Classroom
In Johnson v. Poway Unified School District (658 F.3d 954, C.A.9 (Cal.), September 13, 2011)), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit considered whether a California school district violated a teacher’s First Amendment rights by ordering him to remove banners from his classroom that contained references to “God” and the “Creator.” The Ninth Circuit concluded the school district did not violate the teacher’s rights when it ordered him “not to use his public position as a pulpit from which to preach his own view on the role of God in our Nation’s history to captive students in his mathematics classroom.”
For more coverage, read our Legal Alert.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Florida School Finds Creative Way to Encourage Fitness
The Apollo Beach Elementary School in Hillsborough County, Florida recently started the "Morning Mile Club" to encourage student fitness. Seventy-five elementary school students along with about about a dozen parents participate in the Club, which meets four days a week at 6:30am to run around the school's half-mile track. The Club is run by the school's PE teacher, Wendy "Ski" Smiarowski. The program is modeled after Fitness International's "Morning Mile," a national program aimed at fighting childhood obesity and increasing fitness among children.
Students keep track of their distance by earning a rubber band for each lap; after the day's walk/run, they turn them in and Ms. Smiarowski records their distance. Once students reach five miles, they earn a necklace and colorful foot charm, with additional charms earned for every five miles thereafter. Any student who eventually reaches 100 miles will earn a special charm and the highly-coveted prize of being able to throw a pie at Ms. Smiarowski during the school's closed circuit morning show. Two students have already logged more than fifty miles since the Club began in January!
What creative ideas have your school implemented to keep students engaged in physical fitness and encourage healthy lifestyles?
For in depth coverage on the Apollo Beach "Morning Mile Club", visit the Tampa Bay Online story here.
Meghan Covert Russell
Students keep track of their distance by earning a rubber band for each lap; after the day's walk/run, they turn them in and Ms. Smiarowski records their distance. Once students reach five miles, they earn a necklace and colorful foot charm, with additional charms earned for every five miles thereafter. Any student who eventually reaches 100 miles will earn a special charm and the highly-coveted prize of being able to throw a pie at Ms. Smiarowski during the school's closed circuit morning show. Two students have already logged more than fifty miles since the Club began in January!
What creative ideas have your school implemented to keep students engaged in physical fitness and encourage healthy lifestyles?
For in depth coverage on the Apollo Beach "Morning Mile Club", visit the Tampa Bay Online story here.
Meghan Covert Russell
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