pic from magnusmangosmangos

Nonprofits, charter schools, foundations and businesses are being created to save the education system from itself.  The national security of the United States is at risk unless the economic foundation of the nation is solid. 

The education system needs dramatic improvement and can not be left to where one might live or what resources are available.  The education system has to produce for all  students the opportunity to be employees in the 21st century.  This means most jobs require a work force that is based in technology and science.  This means a work force that is able to work in a global economy. 

The Race to the TOP is not only about states competing for creating the best educational outcomes, it is also about the United States racing to the top of the global economy.

Together the US can reach that goal.   

pic from Graela

When letting a student know that they need to do something, you just might want to make sure you specify how the task is to be conducted. 

Should the task be meant to be a punishment or an opportunity to learn?  I would urge one to turn it into an opportunity to learn not only a lesson but facts that are important towards their educational goal. 

It is the students education that needs to be the focus not an adult’s opportunity to show the student who is in charge. 

pic from Graela

There are plenty examples of public schools either as District or Charter schools who have created exciting curriculum in which students are on wait lists to entry.  The results at these schools in comparison to schools that do not have waiting lists seems to suggest a simple fact.  The engagement of the student is fundamental to achieving positive outcomes. 

If homework is always viewed as a task in misery then the motivation to learn will decrease until there is no motivation.  Make things challenging and engaging and watch the results improve. 

Pic from wvdirtboy 

Let’s not fool ourselves about the GED education as an alternative.  It has not shown to help the student get a job, in fact it seems to to hurt.  The perception is that the individual could not make it in school and gave it up for something easier.

GED is not the quality an employer wants to see in a candidate looking for a job.  Let’s stop fooling the students and make it a high school diploma process for all students. 

The GED label hurts in applying for a job, so let’s stop trying to fool youth of its worth and move the dollars to getting a high school diploma as the outcome. 

Education is not just by a few administrators, it is by the whole community.  It is time for choices that provide more opportunity, not less.  Education is not meeting the mandate of classroom instruction for 6 hours.  Education is not passing the student with a D. 

Education is about creating a youth who is prepared to work and learn in the 21st century.  The fact that a large number of youth graduating from high school are ill prepared to work in the 21st century and ill prepared to learn to achieve an associate’s degree says a lot about the public primary and secondary education system.

The fastest way to achieve better outcomes is through choice and competition.  Charter schools, which are a segment of the public school system, are the right receipt to do this.

 pic from flickr

The number of students dropping out of school is getting worse in most districts.  However, there are those schools that seem to be able to encourage their students to stay in school.  The common denominator is that they are engaging the students.  The response from students is that they feel that the teachers and the school are engaged and care about them getting an education and reaching their potential.  While it may seem simple, it still comes back to adults showing that they care. 

Motivation today is no different with youth than the time I had the privilege of working with youth in a minimum secure facility in the 1980’s.  100% of the youth told me in my discussions with them that, ”Why should I care about me if no one else cares.”

An educational system without student choice creates a psychological battle ground that states to the youth:  “It’s what we give you, take it or leave it.”  The easy way out is to leave school.  Youth have shown over and over again that confronting the educational system is not their concern.  As the youth begins to turn into a young adult and reaches their 22nd birthday, there is a realization that the educational system failed them. 

Charter schools are able to better handle providing the personal approach to learning for each student. 

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

The lack of sufficient improvement in the education system has given rise to charter schools which function as semi-governmental entities.  These charter schools are more accountable to higher standards, creating results and delivering what the market forces want from the education system.   

While district schools have a school committee that is elected by the voters, a charter school has a board and staff that are accountable to the students attending the school, as well as to their parents.  Each student is the customer and the educational achievement of each individual student is the goal.  That is what is called choice.  If the charter school does not adequately meet the needs of the student then the student has the right to go somewhere else.  The end result is that the charter school loses the funding attached to the student. 

Some larger urban district schools have begun to allow students to change their school, but have run into the problem that the schools being saught after are full.  Students seeking slots at charter schools with successful records have found a similar problem. 

The fact that some district schools have turned to setting exams to be admitted to some of their schools seems to go against equal access to an education.  Charter schools are prevented from taking such action and I am in agreement that no student should have to take an exam to get into a public school. 

The one fact that is hard to overcome is that there is not enough room for every student to go to the school of their choice.  The result is a lottery system, and luck plays into whether a student gets what they consider to be the best education. 

“The Race to the Top” should create opportunity to shut down low performing schools and reinvent them with the high expectations of performing schools.  If the statistics show that it takes at least an associate’s degree to obtain a job that pays a living wage, why would anyone allow an educational system to do less?  Allowing students to graduate with a D is not preparing students for college. 

Charter schools represent an opportunity to bring the higher standards to education and hold specific public entities accountable.  It is faster and cost effective.  Choice in the public education system is the fastest way to change it across every state and local educational authority. 

pic from Ken’s Aviation

Congress just might want to educate itself about its self dealing interests.

The Supreme Court recently overturned spending limits placed on corporations or unions for promoting their position on a candidate.  There has been a lot of complaining about the influence that the corporations and unions can now make in the outcome of elections.  While all of this complaining has been going on there has been little complaining about the many charities that congressional members have created to support their efforts.  There is no limit to what amount the corporations and unions can give to these nonprofits. 

These congressional nonprofit affiliates are a potential liability for the rest of the nonprofit industry.  There are too many examples of big spending by corporations with legislative bills before these same elected individuals. 

I found the example of corporations donating to the capital fund to pay off the Black Caucus Headquarters interesting since the brochure for the fundraiser is reported to have stated that the greater the donation, the greater the access, such as a private reception with members of congress.

These affiliated nonprofits seem to have one thing in common:  a means to be tied to the political process and not have limits on the amount that can be raised.

In most states elected officials would not be allowed to promote special access to anyone for their donation to a charity of their interest, especially if the corporation had pending legislation before an elected body.

It goes to the IRS’s question of whether the nonprofit has members, what benefit will members be provided and whether any board member or their immediate family will benefit.  I would not be surprised if the IRS or citizen groups take a look at these types of nonprofit organizations, causing a backlash for all nonprofits to have to deal with.

It might just be a good reason why elected officials choose not to serve or should not serve as board members.

pic from Bearman Cartoons

Some think the government’s response to the swine flu was an overreaction.  However, caution was better for preventing the worst, which might have meant death for many. 

While some think the climate change agenda is an overreaction, especially when Washington DC gets three feet of snow, it might just be that the unusual weather is due to the climate change’s effect on the jet stream. 

The federal government has begun making climate change initiatives a national focus and a number of foundations have begun to make it their local focus.  The interesting part about the term ”climate change” is that I find it to be more of a general description that a fair number of initiatives fall under.  It should be easy for every nonprofit to come up with a way to participate in making a DIFFERENCE toward climate change. 

You’re a nonprofit that can create a community program identifying uses of recycling materials and/or promoting participation in recycling. 

You’re a nonprofit that needs to weatherize your facility to reduce its energy costs.

You’re a nonprofit that can switch to a renewal energy source or less green gas energy sources.

You’re a nonprofit that has decided to locate your services near a central transportation hub.  This means you’re part of the smart growth initiative to be located within walking distance of a rail stop or bus stop.  When looking for such locations try to link individuals to your location by only having to take one ride to the stop.  If there are multiple connections they must be easy and convenient.

You’re a nonprofit that promotes urban farming that reduces green house gases by having more locally grown produce.  Hydroponics and greenhouses on roofs just might be the answer. 

Take time as a nonprofit to come up with your plan to participate.

Depending on which camp you are in and the lifelines each campaign received there has been lots of talk.  Today showd that some lifelines had no idea what they were doing.  The results of today will leave many wondering what happened, why and how.  Today was about fundamentals.  To what degree does the voter feel that food, clothing, shelter, health care, retirement and a job are secure.  The only sure thing is that nonprofits have become the safety net for those most affected.  This time around it did not matter if you were rich or poor to be affected by the recession.  This time savings were wiped out, companies were wiped out and what seemed like good paying secure jobs are gone.  All pointing to financial institutions that are making record amounts of money while the majority are still struggling. 

The recession has been an opportunity to clearly show the value of nonprofits and the need to utilize them more in the delivery of services.  Profit taking on government funds is not the focus of nonprofits but accomplishing the outcome. 

Scott Brown began to peaked last week and continued to build while Martha Coakley was viewed as the candidate of more of the same.  She failed to reach out to individual voters and left Scott Brown unchallenged in meeting the voters.  It is a great example of getting out and meeting the people you want to serve and delivery your message.  Nonprofits should learn from the results on how to reach individuals. 

The result shows the depth of voter anger and that voters view Washington as a place not producing results.