Money for Nothing and the Checks for Free! We do like the fresh fruit and veggies!

Love or hate the Sherman plan to extend the school day and year, you have to see the details of the waiver application to appreciate them.  Case in point, among the questions that applicants are required to answer is the following:

Impact on Resources:  The impact on resources is not expected to be significant. 

That's all folks.  Where other applicants provide a detailed, in-depth explanation of the monies needed to put an 'innovative' program into place, a one sentence answer ten (10) words in length (three of which are taken from the application itself) is the best that ACPS could do.  


Okay, Voltaire, but all that proves is that the best Sherman and crew could do was throw down a skeletal answer to a very important request.  Sure, the taxpayers will want to know more than "not expected to be significant" when it comes to their money and school system, but what exactly are you implying?  Hey, wait a minute you aren't going down the consultant path again are you, Voltaire?  DON'T EVEN TELL US...that would be pure insanity.  There's no way that this is just another way to pay a fortune to the Educational Industrial Complex, again?  Besides, Voltaire, if you are going to make such allegations, you'll need to back them up.  Maybe Paige Cunningham's three part series http://virginia.watchdog.org/1562/alexandria-superintendent-pays-thousands-to-long-time-friend/exposed Sherman's earlier enriching of his pals, but he'd never venture into that jungle again...or would he?  Lifted directly from the waiver application,  heeeeeeerrrreeeeee they are...
       Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA), a cooperative program with the Kennedy Center, which incorporates the fine arts into academic instruction Habits of Mind, which help to develop a student's thinking skills, with emphasis on metacognitive processes. 
MindUp which emphasizes the Optimistic Classroom and the development of confidence and calm (curriculum to be published by Scholastic this fall) 
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program
International Baccalaureate Programme
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
Core Knowledge Curriculum (in cooperation with the University of Virginia)
  


Well, Voltaire, it could be worse.  At least we're not continuing with Lucy Caulkins, Lucy "The Millionairess" West, and a high paid stable of academics, right?


Sorry, here's the next part, lifted directly from the application...
      Establishing partnerships with several organizations and experts in their fields, including: 

• Writer's Project of Columbia Teachers College
• Dr. Lucy West (coaching)
• Conspiracy to Succeed and the Tripod Model:  led by Dr. Ron Ferguson, Harvard University
• The National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST - Staff from Stanford and Columbia Universities
• Dr. Jon Saphier, Research for Better Teaching

The insanity continues, with the spending on consultants driving it.  Please DOE, show due diligence and smite this application!  End the nightmare that our system has become.




We, here, at the Underground will be taking a continuing look at the First Review of a Request for Approval of an Innovative Program Opening Prior to Labor Day from Alexandria City Public Schools throughout the week.  We'll look at it from the standpoint of its quality as a stand alone document as well as what it says about the macrostrategy of this administration.  Hold on to your pants Undergrounders, this promises to be a bumpy ride.

"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible."
— Voltaire