http://www.nycsa.org/blog/ennoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:35:11 PDTBlogger http://www.blogger.com52125http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/07/senate-still-balks-at-renewing-nyc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:56:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-3344402893206112960Ah, summertime in Albany!It was another late night at the State Capitol Thursday, and the state Senate still could not bring itself to approve a bill to renew control of the New York City school system by the Mayor.A very reasonable bill passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly with bipartisan support, but still has not been acted upon in the Senate, even though it has majority support in the Senatehttp://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/07/do-we-now-have-lieutenant-governor-dont.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:35:11 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-6303874471005032919It's easy to understand the frustration of Gov. David Paterson in the last six weeks, with the Senate at a standstill, doing nothing as it squabbled over majority control.The Governor's response was to use his state constitutional powers to keep the Senate in session in these summer days until it figured itself out and legitimately acted on legislation. While he cannot force them to vote on http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/07/former-teacher-slaps-buffalo-nysut-boss.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:00:08 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-7805764973060456463Corrinne Cristofaro has had it with the Buffalo-area region of the New York State United Teachers, and she wants us to know it.Ms. Cristofaro is the Executive Director of the Western New York Charter School Coalition, a membership organization of charter schools in Erie and Niagara counties. Last Sunday the Buffalo News published a lengthy letter (here) from her hitting hard at NYSUT for its http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/us-ed-secretary-refining-postion-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:00:36 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-6757400145847584711Richard Iannuzzi, the head of the state teachers union, NYSUT, told the School Boards Association blog, On Board, that Arne Duncan "may be refining his position" on tying charter caps to a state's chances of being awarded "Race to the Top" funds.Mr. Iannuzzi noted that Secretary Duncan's remarks last week at the national charter school conference, warning against allowing too many second-rate http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/new-yorks-chances-for-race-to-top-funds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:03:22 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-8441424772192621723For New York to get federal "Race to the Top" funds, the head of the state teachers union opposes lifting the cap on charter schools, while the outgoing Education Commissioner says we shouldn't be "unduly influenced" by the U.S. Secretary of Education.This was all part of an informative piece by Marc Humbert today for On Board Online, the weblog for the state School Boards Association (here), on http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/charters-prevail-over-state-comptroller.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:42:29 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-4508214589600646849The state Court of Appeals today ruled 7-0 in favor of the charter school position that the Office of the State Comptroller lacks state constitutional authority to audit charter schools.Yes, folks, the New York State Constitution means what it says. The Comptroller's Office has limits as to which entities it can audit, and charter schools are not among them. Article V of the Constitution limits http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/green-dot-charter-and-uft-reach-deal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:32:05 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-7671119321636980361Several publications, including the New York Times and New York Post today report on a charter school teachers contract between Green Dot Charter School in the Bronx and the United Federation of Teachers.The deal is conceptually simple: More money with more accountability. Teachers get between 10 and 14 percent more pay over the next three years than their NYC district comrades. However, they http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/op-ed-in-syracuse-post-standard-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:08:57 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-1341932054082538660The Syracuse Post-Standard today published my op-ed responding to their June 8th editorial that was critical of the charter school lawsuit to stop audits by the State Comptroller's office.The op-ed is linked here.The arguments made in support of this lawsuit should be familiar to Chalkboard readers and charter school operators. Fundamentally, they come down to two points:1) The state http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/board-of-regents-approves-another.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:52:23 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-2791214036952845403The state Board of Regents today unanimously approved a new charter school for Albany -- the Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls -- the 10th for that city.The Regents have not approved a new charter school for Albany in more than five years, when they approved the KIPP Tech Valley Charter School in 2004, which was previously approved by the SUNY Board. Until today, only three of http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/union-acts-as-boss-rather-than-servant.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:40:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-5119730222105716725"New York State United Teachers has not cooperated with requests from teachers for the creation of a bargaining committee and has not been responsive to the concerns of instructional members at the charter school."This account, from today's Niagara Gazette, is the description from Laurie Munzert, a 2nd grade teacher at the Niagara Charter School. She and her colleagues are trying to drop the http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/niagara-charter-school-teachers-still.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:23:36 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-6858826965192484033What part of "Get Lost" does the NYSUT local in Niagara-Wheatfield not understand?The teachers at the Niagara Charter School are staging a protest today outside the charter school to oppose being forcibly represented by the Niagara-Wheatfield Teachers Association, the district union local of the New York State United Teachers. The teachers issued a press release announcing the protest, which was http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/mayor-control-at-stake-in-senate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:54:10 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-4157816821445419730Several publications, including the Daily News and New York Post this morning, and Gotham Schools (here) over the weekend discuss the implications of the stalemate in the New York State Senate on mayoral control of the New York City schools, which expires June 30th.Joe Williams, Executive Director of the Democrats for Education Reform, and I are quoted in the Gotham Schools' story.The state http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/uft-lets-go-at-kipp-infinity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:03:55 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-8269245039326237232Last March The Chalkboard reported that teachers at KIPP Infinity Charter School in Harlem submitted a unanimous petition to the state Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) to decertify membership with the United Federation of Teachers union. Last Friday, the New York Post reported here that the UFT agreed earlier this month and had "voluntarily withdrawn" from its representation of the Infinityhttp://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/suny-charter-schools-insitute.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:37:03 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-6083375253178151547Last week the State University of New York's Charter Schools Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary by hosting a luncheon at the Grand Concourse Charter School in the Bronx. The Institute is the administrative arm of the SUNY Board of Trustees to implement the Board's responsibilities under the New York Charter Schools Act.The Institute was actually founded in January 1999, just weeks after http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/senate-coalition-gop-espada-offer-power.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:27:48 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-8930368927579858192The Senate Republicans yesterday offered the 31 Democrats a power-sharing "bipartisan operating agreement" stipulated on Sen. Pedro Espada as the Temporary President and the Majority Leader position occupied by Republican Sen. Dean Skelos. Both those positions control the calendar of bills getting a floor vote and also select committee chairs.The document reads that committee chairs will be namedhttp://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/senate-deadlocked-time-to-share.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:54:26 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-8618963357599788570Senate Democrats have proposed a power-sharing plan with the Senate Republicans allied with Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr. The plan would create a six-member conference committee of the whole with equal membership from both sides and a rotating leadership.Espada and the GOP are uninterested in discussing any power-sharing role until the Democrats formally recognize the new leadership voted in last week, http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/let-this-cup-pass-senate-case-dismissed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:11:38 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-4595822957170335920This afternoon state Supreme Court Justice, Thomas McNamara, dismissed the litigation on whether last week's vote to change state Senate leadership was valid.The court wanted no part of this case, as any ruling was a guarantee to upset at least half the Senate that would be on the losing side. No Solomonic "split the baby" option here.It's refreshing to see a judge refuse the temptation to rule http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/adios-buffalo-district-czar-departs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:15:45 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-741731382967243052Gary Crosby announced he is departing his job as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Public Schools, after five years on the job.What better description of someone wearing two hats than "Czar" of the district! After all, not one, but three district officials will assume his responsibilities, as his job will be divvied up.Crosby's departure was reported yesterdayhttp://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/boost-for-mayoral-control-and-praise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:24:17 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-2698565064984051042Geoffrey Canada, who heads the Harlem Children's Zone nonprofit organization, also has founded two charter schools in upper Manhattan. One of his several hats is he is a trustee of the group "LearnNY," an outfit set up earlier this year to push for renewing the New York City Mayor's control of the school system.Geoff Canada just released a statement praising the legislation introduced by the http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/31-31-sen-monserrate-comes-home-perfect.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:22:15 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-7741986451249720753New York is headed for even deeper unchartered legislative waters.First, you had an attempt last week to change leadership and majority control in the state Senate, with two Democrats switching sides to join with the 30 Republicans in the 62-seat house. Two is all it took to change a 32-30 Democratic majority.Then, later in the week, one of the two Democrats, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, had second http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/more-senate-upheaval-court-intervenes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:27:17 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-4240780472227488007Not so fast.A state Appellate Division court intervened at the request of Senate Democratic Leader, Sen. Malcolm Smith, by imposing a temporary restraining order on Sen. Pedro Espada assuming the office of Temporary President of the Senate. Elizabeth Benjamin's blog, hosted by the Daily News, reports on this on other developments here. Sen. Dean Skelos, the Majority Leader voted last Monday by http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/update-monserrate-holding-with-gop.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:45:04 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-7886253093607253709Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr. said at about 5:00 p.m. that the new Senate Majority Coalition is strong and "growing stronger." His Democratic colleague, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who joined him in switching sides, emerged with him and Republican Sen. Dean Skelos to say they are the new Majority and sticking together.Earlier in the day Sen. Monserrate was reported as saying he was reconsidering joining the http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/senate-majority-of-what.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:07:59 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-5350442235190173504The new Senate Majority just got very tenuous as the coalition of 30 Republicans and two renegade Democrats may be unraveling at this writing.Sen. Hiram Monserrate, one of the two Democrats who joined with Republicans last Monday, this afternoon told reporter, Josh Robin of Capital News 9, that he's having "second thoughts" about switching sides.That likely explains the delay in the new Senate http://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/state-senate-control-apparently-flips.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:59:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-1042427539716495578The State Senate had a day never before seen in memory when two Senate Democrats, Pedro Espada of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens joined with all 30 Republicans to change majority control of that chamber from Democrat to Republican.Sen. Espada was then elected the new Temporary President of the Senate, and Dean Skelos, a Republican from Nassau County, was installed as the Majority Leaderhttp://www.nycsa.org/blog/2009/06/charter-schools-v-state-comptroller.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter Murphy)Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:09:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388145.post-7228246275730521159This afternoon the state Court of Appeals, the highest court, heard oral arguments on the case brought by charter schools to stop audits by the Office of the State Comptroller. The dynamics of how the court functions were very interesting to me as someone who has never sat through a hearing like this and doesn't pretend to know if the line of questioning necessarily works in favor of the charter