Technical Education

Our friends at Fordham Institute have a new publication that details their findings of just what Ohio superintendents would say if they could speak anonymously. Conducted by The FDR Group, the results of the survey are summarized in Fordham’s new report Yearning to Break Free: Ohio Superintendents Speak Out.
Before I get to the results of the survey, I just have to take a moment and offer a comment on the title. Yearning to Break Free? Seriously? Aren’t we being just a tad dramatic? Read the full post…

Ivy Tech Community College is relocating its instructional site in Shelbyville from the Blue River Career Center to the Business Accelerator Facility in the Intelliplex Certified Technology Park by August, the board of trustees announced today.

Kaye Walter, chancellor for the Central Indiana region of the college, said the move before the start of fall classes will broaden the number and types of courses available, helping to meet the varying schedules of students.

The park is just off I-74 at Ind. 9. Plans call for four 30-seat classrooms, two 30-seat computer labs and a 24-seat wet lab and prep room for life-science courses, according to a news release.

More education news is available at IndyStar.com/education.

Time to cut the budget — again.

IPS officials said Tuesday they are looking for ways to trim at least $15 million from the 2012 budget as they anticipate state budget cuts.

School Board members urged the public to attend two meetings planned for Thursday and March 9 to voice their thoughts on what should or should not be cut.

This is the second time in the past two years that the state’s largest school district has looked to trim its budget in response to state budget cuts.

“This is not a good time for IPS,” said Deb Hineline, district business manager.

Superintendent Eugene White was not present at Tuesday night’s meeting, but officials say he is working on a proposal that could identify potential cuts. That proposal could be ready by Thursday.

The two meetings will be: Thursday in the cafeteria of George Washington Community High School, 2215 W. Washington St., and March 9 at Arlington Community High School, 4825 N.

Read the full post…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – California’s student aid commission said on Friday that aid funds going to students at for-profit schools should be slashed first when the state cuts its education budget.

The U.S. Education Department has criticized some for-profit schools, which range from universities offering PhD’s to trade schools offering car-repair training, for low graduation rates and high loan default rates.

The California Student Aid Commission, which administers financial aid programs, voted unanimously on Friday to put Cal Grant aid to for-profit schools’ students at the bottom of its priority list when the state is forced to make budget cuts relating to education financing.

“The governor and the legislature need a communication from us,” said Commission Chair Barry Keene. “

Read the full post…

There is a very interesting post on the Future of Education Blog regarding linear thinking and innovation.
I printed out the list of the seven deadly sins of innovation and plan to pin them on the wall in my office.

• Thinking the answer is in here, rather than out there
• Talking about it rather than building it
• Executing when we should be exploring
• Being smart
• Being impatient for the wrong things
• Confusing cross-functionality with diverse viewpoints
• Believing process will save you

Are there more?