PDK/Gallup Poll:Strong Support for Local Public Schools/House passes Child Nutrition Act/WP:Rhee, Ackerman and 'cultural competence'

As we await the policy initiatives of the incoming Corbett administration it is worth reminding our stakeholders, legislators and the public that in spite of the media blitz to the contrary, there is strong support for local public schools.

I cited the following during my legislative report at our televised board meeting last evening.

LAF

August 2010 - 42^nd annual PDK poll finds strong support for local schools, teacher pay reforms

http://schoolboardnews.nsba.org/2010/08/pdk-poll-finds-strong-support-for-local-schools-teacher-pay-reforms/

http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/poll.htm

A new Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll shows more Americans support their local public schools, even more so than at any other time during the past 35 years.

The 42nd Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools, one of the leading indicators of Americans’ views on public education, also found strong support for restructuring teacher pay systems.

Forty-nine percent of those polled would rate the quality of their local public schools as an A or B, compared to 48 percent in 2005, and 43 percent in 1975.

Among parents, the support is even stronger: 77 percent would give an A or B to the school their oldest child attends, compared to 69 percent in 2005, and 71 percent in 1985.

NSBA: House passes Child Nutrition Act, NSBA concerns cited

Thursday 12/2/10 - This afternoon the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act by a final vote of 264-157, mainly on party lines. The bill will now be sent to the White House, and President Obama has indicated he will sign it.

NSBA has many concerns about the financial and operational impact of this legislation.

http://schoolboardnews.nsba.org/2010/12/house-passes-child-nutrition-act-nsba-concerns-cited/

House votes to send child nutrition bill to President Obama

By Nick Anderson

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 3, 2010; 12:21 AM

The Democrat-led House voted Thursday to send President Obama a bill that would enable more poor children to receive free meals at school, raise the nutritional quality of cafeteria fare and reduce the junk food and sugary beverages sold in school vending machines.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/02/AR2010120202737.html?hpid=topnews

Philadelphia’s Notebook blog is a good one, focusing on Philadelphia Public Schools.  Helen Gym is a strong advocate and regular contributor.  This week one of her articles was featured in the Washington Post’s Answer Sheet column.

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 12/ 2/2010

Rhee, Ackerman and 'cultural competence' in urban reform

By Valerie Strauss

This post was written by Helen Gym, a founder of Parents United for Public Education in Philadelphia, a citywide parent group focused on school budgets and funding to improve achievement and accountability in the public schools. She is also a board member at Asian Americans United, a community organization active in education and other issues. She was named the Philadelphia Inquirer's "Citizen of the Year" in December 2007 for her work in education, immigration and community activism. This post appeared on The Notebook blog.

Gym discusses cultural sensitivities in urban educational leadership, an issue faced by former Washington D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee, a Korean American, as she led the public schools in the predominantly African-American city.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/rhee-ackerman-and-cultural-com.html