What is Joel Klein up to After his Chancellorship?


   

    According to Celeste Katz of the Daily news Former New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has been named as the chair of Education Reform Now.  

    The interesting thing however is that Klein now joins those listed below, who are heavy advocates of charter schools. In the Daily news story Joel Klein now advocates for changing teacher tenure rules as Mayor Bloomberg and new Chancellor Cathie Black are trying to do. 

You may also want to check this link to a story titled "The Billionaires Boys Club" posted on June 10, 2010.

As you read further into this story you will be able to connect the dots to see the future of public education.

    

     Here is the website to Education Reform Now , with the board of directors and staff as of Monday January 24, 2011. Note there are only bio's of the staff and not the Board of Directors. For more information on the Board of Directors go to The Billionaires Boys Club link.
 

Board of Directors

Sidney Hawkins Gargiulo - Hawkshaw Capital
John Petry (chair) - Gotham Capital
John Sabat - SAC Capital
Brian Zied - Maverick Capital

Staff

Executive Director - Van Schoales

Van Schoales is the Executive Director of Education Reform Now, a national education policy and advocacy non-profit organization fighting to dramatically improve the quality of public education for America's most disadvantaged children.  He was most recently a program officer at the Piton Foundation where he oversaw a portfolio of investments on state policy, district reform and new school development. He has previously been a high school science teacher, principal and school non-profit leader working as an education reform advocate. Van has launched or help start a number of non-profits including the Odyssey Charter School, Bay Area Coalition of Equitable (formerly Essential) Schools, Denver School of Science and Technology, A + Denver, EdNewsColorado and Get Smart Schools.

National Strategy Director - Myles Mendoza

In Myles's position as the National Strategy Director of Education Reform Now he is strengthening ERN's existing capacities and strategically developing new outposts throughout the country. He was most recently the Development Director at the Denver Scholarship Foundation and was instrumental in the foundation's transformation from a start-up non-profit to one of national fundraising prominence and visibility. Myles conceived and implemented an ambitious five-year fundraising strategy in which $62 million dollars was raised and helped to make it the sustainable organization it is today. Myles originally came to his non-profit executive career after years of front-line work in difficult inner-city school environments including East St. Louis and disadvantaged Chicago neighborhoods. "Working in these communities allowed me to become an expert in understanding the complex factors that relate to youth and their ability to achieve academic success. I was able to get to know many families and their home environments first hand. I learned that even in the most abusive home situations, children can succeed if their schools provide them with quality teaching and high expectations. These experiences gave me both the passion and the knowledge to fight for what is needed to ensure every child in America is given the opportunity to succeed." Myles received his MSW from Washington University in St. Louis. Myles has three boys, all of whom attend high performing charter schools. He sits on the Board of Directors at West Denver Prep and the American Academy Foundation.

Chief of Staff - Brienne Bellavita
Brienne Bellavita joined Education Reform Now (ERN) in the fall of 2007.  Prior to her role as the Chief of Staff, Brienne served as the Program Director of ERN, working to build up the organization's programs promoting proven education reform policies.
Previous to her work at ERN, Brienne worked for the City of New York as an Investigator at the Civilian Complaint Review Board, where she investigated allegations of police misconduct.  As a civil servant, she developed the applied skills necessary to deliver on public sector challenges and gained invaluable experience working with many segments of the population.
Previously, Brienne lived in London, England, where she served an internship in the British Parliament working for Kevin McNamara MP, a member of the Labour Party in the House of Commons.  

Office Manager - Beverly Francis
Beverly is a New Yorker by zip code, but a true Floridian at heart. Beverly joined the staff of Education Reform Now (ERN) in the Fall of 2008. Her passion for advancement in public education derive both from being a product of the public education system, and being surrounded by a family of educators.

Prior to her work at ERN, Beverly worked in the news and entertainment industry. She credits her experience as a TV journalist for her growing involvement and awareness of domestic issues.

 

Beverly graduated from Florida International University in Miami, FL with a Bachelor of Science in Jo

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ BLASTS MTA FOR POOR BRONX PERFORMANCE
MTA’s own numbers show just how far the Bronx lags behind the rest of the city
 

    Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., today deplored as shocking the subway service provided to Bronx residents by the MTA.

    “The statistics released by the MTA show that the Bronx continues to be treated as the “forgotten borough” and that cannot continue,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

     Borough President Diaz noted that the MTA’s own statistics show that the number 1, 2 , 4 and 5 lines of the IRT, starting in the Kingsbridge/Riverdale, Wakefield,  Woodlawn, and Eastchester sections of the Bronx have the longest weekday wait assessments in the  system, together with the A train that Kingsbridge and Riverdale residents use via a bus connection.

    The key service-performance indicators show the same shocking results, with the number 2 train having the worst indicators in the system. Even the on-time performance statistics shown on the MTA’s Dashboard show that each of lines starting in the Bronx had a worse on-time performance record than was targeted. That this is a particularly serious problem for Bronxites is shown by the station indicators which confirm that the Bronx stations are treated unfairly, with KPI ratings of 83.8% for Bronx subway stations compared to 88.4 percent, 88.6 percent and 89.4 percent for Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens respectively.

     “These new MTA service ratings are unacceptable. Residents of the Bronx must have clean, efficient, reliable and on-time subway service to get to and from work and to go about their activities. The fares Bronxites pay to use the system are the same as everyone else, and yet the MTA continues to give us the short end of the stick when it comes to subway service. I will not tolerate anyone treating the Bronx as the “forgotten borough” and demand that the MTA offer a full account as to why service starting in this borough lags so far behind the rest of the City and develop a plan to address these deficiencies immediately. We deserve nothing less,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

COMPTROLLER LIU TAKES AUDIT BUREAU ON FIVE-BOROUGH TOUR

     New York City Controller John C. Liu will take his audit bureau on the road for a series of borough town hall meetings to give New Yorkers a chance to learn about the power of the auditing process. New Yorkers will have the opportunity to suggest an audit to the Comptroller’s award-winning audit team. The first of five town halls will take place on Monday, January 24 in Manhattan.

    WHO:
City Comptroller John C. Liu,  Elected officials,
Deputy Comptroller for Audit H. Tina Kim and Audit Bureau 

   WHAT:
Learn about the Who, What, When, Where and Why of audits. Suggest an audit to the Comptroller's office. 

  BRONX  Feb.14th –  

  6-8 pm  Bronx Borough Hall, 1st floor rotunda 851 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10451

   

Upcoming Events

    Friday  January 28th Sound off about the Blizzard of 2010 to the City Council held at Hostos Community College  6PM 

    Friday  January 28th Phase out meeting at Kennedy High School 6 PM.  

    Saturday January 29th Post-2009 Election Panel hosted by Bronx for Change. Moderated by Roberto Perez of the Perez Notes to be held at La Ressurreccion Church 970 Elton Ave. (one block west of 3rd Ave. and 158th Street) RSVP to bronxforchange@gmail.com 

    Friday February 15th Public Hearing on two new charter schools to be located at the JFK campus. Kennedy High School 6 PM.

    Tuesday March 1st Panel for Education Policy vote on new charter schools at Kennedy campus, 6 PM at Brooklyn Tech High School 29 Fort Greene Place Brooklyn.

     

 

  

   
   

   

The Health of Former State Senator Guy Velella Worsens

    In a story by Celeste Katz "The Daily Politics", Ms.Katz reports that Former State Senator Guy Velella's health worsens and that he was transferred to Calvery Hospital for the terminally ill here in the Bronx. It is said that Velella may have only three to six months to live according to Bob Kappstatter of the Daily News according to Velella himself.

  Was the Bronx portrayed unfairly on American Idol?

    Travis Orlando a 16 year old Bronx high school student tried out for American Idol, and during the interview process Travis gave his view of growing up in the Bronx. Also mentioned was that his family lost their house due to the current recession, and had to live in a shelter for a few years. 

    First is the statement from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on what he calls highlighted the negatives of the Bronx, rather then the revitalization of the Bronx.

    STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

 RE: American Idol’s Slander of The Bronx

    “I am thoroughly disgusted with the treatment of the Bronx on last night’s American Idol. Rather than focus on the amazing revitalization the Bronx has seen over the past three decades, the producers of the show chose instead to highlight the negative stereotypes that have plagued our borough for years. The Bronx is the proud home of 1.4 million people, and over the past 30 years we have seen a dramatic drop in crime, incredible new business activity and the development of amazing new infrastructure. The portrayal of the Bronx by the producers of American Idol in such an extremely negative light is not only shameful, it does not accurately represent how far the Bronx has come.

    For those who want to learn the truth about the vibrant neighborhoods, world-class cuisine, burgeoning economy and amazing amenities the Bronx has to offer, I invite them to visit the official website of the Bronx Tourism Council, www.ilovethebronx.com,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

    Here is the You Tube link to the interview of Travis Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vInx2aJzziY&feature=player_embedded#!
    You be the judge of it.

 

IDC Releases Mandate Relief 

Recommendations

Proposals Level Local Gov't Playing Field, Lower Costs & Save Taxpayer Dollars

The Independent Democratic Conference today unveiled a series of common sense recommendations that will help local governments tackle state mandates, save money, and help ease the burden on taxpayers 

    These recommendations, which were made in consultation with the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, include helping municipalities save money by revamping laws that allow local governments enter into employee benefit cooperatives; cut down on the costs of prescription drug access; and enacting legislation to allow communities to hold building code scofflaws accountable.  

     The proposals include: 

 Revamping laws governing the establishment of Inter-Municipal Employee Benefit Cooperatives. 

 "Encouraging municipalities to pool their employees under one health care plan will allow them the benefit of more purchasing power, better rates, and lower costs that will be passed onto taxpayers," Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland) said.  

 The IDC is drafting legislation that will simplify the process of having adjoining local governments form local benefit cooperatives and help reduce overall costs. These cooperatives allow municipalities to combine forces, consolidate duplicated services and manage employee health care, payroll and other administrative services.  

 This proposed legislation will also permit inter-municipal employee benefit managers to subscribe to lower cost health insurance products such as Healthy NY. Healthy NY is a comprehensive health insurance product that must be offered by all HMOs in New York to qualified sole-proprietors and small businesses. These products can be up to 7 percent cheaper when compared to other HMO products. 

 These cooperatives would also encourage higher participation rates in employee health benefit programs such as New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). They would additionally allow lower costs for employee benefits such as tax deferred retirement benefit plans, health flex plans, and tax deferred child care expenses. 

 Cut Down Prescription Drug Costs

 The IDC is additionally working on legislation to allow local governments, many who do not participate in NYSHIP, to buy-in to its comparatively less expensive Empire prescription drug plan, without having to buy into the whole medical/hospital NYSHIP plan. 

 Holding Building Code Scofflaws Accountable

 The IDC will be introducing legislation to allow municipalities to attach unpaid building code and environmental fines to the offending property's tax bill.

 “This legislation will end the current system where unscrupulous corporations, LLCs and other scofflaws ignore the rules and taxpayers pay the price of living in communities scarred by eyesores that drive down the value of their homes,” Senator Jeffery D. Klein, (D-Bronx/ Westchester), said. “This bill will be a win-win that improves the quality of life for our constituents and grants relief to local governments.”

 – Protect the Local Government Management Improvement Fund from Funding Raids 

 The fund was created in 1989 to help local governments comply with the mandated records management, and is funded by money collected by county clerks on every deed and mortgage filed in their offices. Over the years, the fund has been swept to fill budget gaps. This not only puts a strain on the ability of the municipality to comply with the mandate, but also misappropriates taxes paid by New Yorkers for access to these documents . 

 – Explore Remedies to the Current Lack of of Municipal Legal Cost Reimbursement

 A plaintiff can sue any municipality as long as the statutory notice requirements are complied with. Oftentimes plaintiffs, in a rush to comply, file suit against the wrong municipality. Despite this mistake, municipalities are still obligated to expend money and resources defending the lawsuit.

 Peter Baynes, NYCOM Executive Director, said: "Local governments across New York are facing unprecedented fiscal challenges. Increased flexibility and the ability to reduce municipal expenses is essential to the prosperity of local governments and the State.  While the Conference of Mayors believes that the Legislature must take bold steps to finally reform the real cost drivers that plague local finances -- particularly those in the workforce arena -- we support efforts, such as this, to produce cost savings in other areas of municipal budgets as well."       

 Senator David J. Valesky, (D-Oneida), said: "Unfunded mandates put added pressure on local municipalities. In these difficult economic times, we need to evaluate each--large and small--to determine their usefulness and necessity,”    

 Senator Diane Savino, (D-Staten Island/ Brooklyn), said: “Everyone recognizes that the current system isn't working,” said . “As members of the Independent Democratic Conference, we are committed finding solutions to get New York back on the right track. I believe that these common-sense proposals are part of a much needed step in that direction.”

 

 

 

 

The State of The Bronx Address by BP Diaz