| Administrators on the Move |
| Educators in the News (Ale-Alp) |
| Preview A-Z directory: 1,000+ names |
CONVENIENTLY TIMED DEPARTURE?
ALEMANY-MORENO, Margarita
ALEMANY-MORENO, Margarita
Ass't sup't-Region 1 (Hialeah) Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FLORIDA).
DEC. 2005 UPDATE--STATEMENT BY MOTET WHISTLEBLOWER BENNETT
PACKMAN: MDPS principal Louis Algaze "committed fraud, tried to cover it up and
in the process had various people working with him to look the other way. Dr.
Greenberg-Head of Physical Education and Driver Education, Margarita
Alemany-Moreno-Assistant Superintendent, and Ray Benitez from the Office of
DEC. 2005 UPDATE--STATEMENT BY MOTET WHISTLEBLOWER BENNETT
PACKMAN: MDPS principal Louis Algaze "committed fraud, tried to cover it up and
in the process had various people working with him to look the other way. Dr.
Greenberg-Head of Physical Education and Driver Education, Margarita
Alemany-Moreno-Assistant Superintendent, and Ray Benitez from the Office of
| MDPS Region 1 Hialeah, Florida |
Professional Standards were all informed of Dr. Algaze's behavior and did nothing. They all protected a
criminal." (SOURCE--Bennett Packman/ NAFTA)
JAN. 2, 2005 (PW INVESTIGATIVE) UPDATE: Although reported by MDCPS employees variously as still
employed by MDCPS and as having accepted an early retirement package, MDCPS admin. has not responded to
multiple queries regarding Alemany-Moreno's current employment status.
JAN. 9, 2005 MDCPS EMPLOYMENT STATUS UPDATE: According to MDCPS spokesman Joe Garcia, "Ms.
Alemany-Moreno is on leave through January 15 and will not be returning."
criminal." (SOURCE--Bennett Packman/ NAFTA)
JAN. 2, 2005 (PW INVESTIGATIVE) UPDATE: Although reported by MDCPS employees variously as still
employed by MDCPS and as having accepted an early retirement package, MDCPS admin. has not responded to
multiple queries regarding Alemany-Moreno's current employment status.
JAN. 9, 2005 MDCPS EMPLOYMENT STATUS UPDATE: According to MDCPS spokesman Joe Garcia, "Ms.
Alemany-Moreno is on leave through January 15 and will not be returning."
LEADERSHIP GREATER CHICAGO GRAD
ALEXANDER, James A.
Exec. dir.-Inner-City Teaching Corps (April 2003). Also, graduate-Leadership Greater
Chicago. Also, member-board of directors/Leadership for Quality Education.
NOTE: "He brings to this position broad and deep management experience as a senior
executive in several institutions of higher education in Illinois." (SOURCE--ICTC Website)
NOTE: "LQE's board of directors includes individuals from a diverse array of fields,
such as banking, higher education, finance, manufacturing, human resources, law and
nonprofit management. They each have a strong civic commitment to public education,
and they support LQE's efforts to build and sustain change in public education in
Chicago." (SOURCE--LQE Website)
ALEXANDER, James A.
Exec. dir.-Inner-City Teaching Corps (April 2003). Also, graduate-Leadership Greater
Chicago. Also, member-board of directors/Leadership for Quality Education.
NOTE: "He brings to this position broad and deep management experience as a senior
executive in several institutions of higher education in Illinois." (SOURCE--ICTC Website)
NOTE: "LQE's board of directors includes individuals from a diverse array of fields,
such as banking, higher education, finance, manufacturing, human resources, law and
nonprofit management. They each have a strong civic commitment to public education,
and they support LQE's efforts to build and sustain change in public education in
Chicago." (SOURCE--LQE Website)
| James Alexander |
| ENTERTAINING 'A PRIORITY' FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHER |
| ALFORD, Kris Second grade teacher-Northwood Elementary (Fulton County School System) (Roswell) (Georgia). DEC. 9, 2005 TV APPEARANCE UPDATE: "We're single and we're fun," Kris Alford and her roommate and fellow Northwood teacher Annie Jo House told Penn Holderness, host of HGTV's "Designer Finals." According to Holderness, the two were looking for "a sophisticated place for socializing since entertaining is a priority." According to the episode's program notes, "Interior design student Mike Scott thinks that first-time homeowners/housemates Kris Alford and Annie Jo House are too young to be living in a granny apple green house. The girls met in college, are now first-year teachers and agree with Scott on his color statement. He has three rooms to design and just one request from the owners--to create a sophisticated space for socializing that reflects their young and fun personalities." While Scott "redid their living area, the two teachers said they were going to stay 'at a hotel with a heated pool so we can enjoy ourselves.'" According to the network, Episode HDSF-513 airs again on April 18, 2006 at 4:30 PM ET/PT (SOURCE--HGTV) |
| Kris Alford on HGTV |
PRINCIPAL AT MIAMI'S AMERICAN HS
GROUND ZERO IN PHONY CREDENTIAL WHISTLEBLOWER
CASE INVOLVING 'UP TO 1000' MDPS TEACHERS
ALGAZE, Louis J.
Vice principal-Miami Killian Senior HS (Miami-Dade County Public Schools) (Florida). To
principal-American High School (July 2002) (MDCPS). Also, president-Dade Ass'n of
School Administrators.
GROUND ZERO IN PHONY CREDENTIAL WHISTLEBLOWER
CASE INVOLVING 'UP TO 1000' MDPS TEACHERS
ALGAZE, Louis J.
Vice principal-Miami Killian Senior HS (Miami-Dade County Public Schools) (Florida). To
principal-American High School (July 2002) (MDCPS). Also, president-Dade Ass'n of
School Administrators.
| Louis J. Algaze |
MAY 12, 2004 DRIVER'S ED CREDENTIALS UPDATE: "It's a sad fact--teenagers get into more fatal accidents
than any other age group. Before they get behind the wheel, many of them will take a driver's ed class. Now,
7 News has learned the person teaching that class may have 'driven around' state requirements....[Physical
education teacher] Bennett Packman....was told he would also be teaching driver's ed at American High in
Miami Lakes even though he's not qualified. Bennett Packman: 'I never taught the course before.' Packman
says American High gave him dozens of student waivers to sign as the instructor. If he signed them, the
students would not have to take the state written test to get their license. He refused....'Lives are at stake
here. People are out on the road with a three thousand pound vehicle.,' [said Packman.] The state
requires teachers take three college courses before they can teach drivers ed. That's more than one
hundred hours of instruction. But, Packman says authorities at American wanted him to take a shortcut....'At
the same time they were putting pressure on me to take a one day course by a Bill McCoggle.' Bill
McCoggle is a physical education teacher at Palmetto High school in Pinecrest. On the side, he runs a
company that offers accredited courses for educators through out of state colleges" for which he charged
educators $775. (SOURCE--Carmel Cafiero/WSVN) (CONTINUED BELOW--See FOLLOW-UPS)
than any other age group. Before they get behind the wheel, many of them will take a driver's ed class. Now,
7 News has learned the person teaching that class may have 'driven around' state requirements....[Physical
education teacher] Bennett Packman....was told he would also be teaching driver's ed at American High in
Miami Lakes even though he's not qualified. Bennett Packman: 'I never taught the course before.' Packman
says American High gave him dozens of student waivers to sign as the instructor. If he signed them, the
students would not have to take the state written test to get their license. He refused....'Lives are at stake
here. People are out on the road with a three thousand pound vehicle.,' [said Packman.] The state
requires teachers take three college courses before they can teach drivers ed. That's more than one
hundred hours of instruction. But, Packman says authorities at American wanted him to take a shortcut....'At
the same time they were putting pressure on me to take a one day course by a Bill McCoggle.' Bill
McCoggle is a physical education teacher at Palmetto High school in Pinecrest. On the side, he runs a
company that offers accredited courses for educators through out of state colleges" for which he charged
educators $775. (SOURCE--Carmel Cafiero/WSVN) (CONTINUED BELOW--See FOLLOW-UPS)
WHILE V. PRINCIPAL, ALLOWED COUEY TO
WORK ON CAMPUS AS MASON'S HELPER
ALLEGRETTA, Regina
Ass't principal (2001), to principal (June 2004) Homosassa Elementary
School (Citrus County Public Schools) (Florida). "'I'm ecstatic,' Allegretta
said after [sup't] Hickey's announcement....'She is first of all very, very
strong,' Hickey said. 'She gives excellent attention to detail. She's a
team player...and a great communicator.'...[Allegretta's] bachelor's degree
is in elementary education and she has master's degrees in both
curriculum and leadership....'I'm most proud of having a part in student
learning, in the possibility of impacting the life of a child,' she said. 'At
Homosassa Elementary, we do that every day.'" (SOURCE--St. Petersburg
Times)
NOTE: "For five months, convicted sex offender John Evander Couey
worked as a mason's helper at Homosassa Elementary School, where
9-year-old Jessica Lunsford attended class. A mason on the job said
Couey had direct contact with students and teachers during the project,
though it was unknown whether he had contact with Jessica." (Ibid.)
(CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
WORK ON CAMPUS AS MASON'S HELPER
ALLEGRETTA, Regina
Ass't principal (2001), to principal (June 2004) Homosassa Elementary
School (Citrus County Public Schools) (Florida). "'I'm ecstatic,' Allegretta
said after [sup't] Hickey's announcement....'She is first of all very, very
strong,' Hickey said. 'She gives excellent attention to detail. She's a
team player...and a great communicator.'...[Allegretta's] bachelor's degree
is in elementary education and she has master's degrees in both
curriculum and leadership....'I'm most proud of having a part in student
learning, in the possibility of impacting the life of a child,' she said. 'At
Homosassa Elementary, we do that every day.'" (SOURCE--St. Petersburg
Times)
NOTE: "For five months, convicted sex offender John Evander Couey
worked as a mason's helper at Homosassa Elementary School, where
9-year-old Jessica Lunsford attended class. A mason on the job said
Couey had direct contact with students and teachers during the project,
though it was unknown whether he had contact with Jessica." (Ibid.)
(CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
| The late Jessica Lunsford |
| Regina Allegretta |
| Former mason's helper at Homosassa ES John Evander Couey |
3X UNDERPERFORMING PRINCIPAL UPPED TO ADMIN. SLOT, SAME $$
ALLEN, Douglas B.
Teacher, to ass't principal, to technology director; to principal-I.G. Conchos School (700 students) ($2 million
M&O budget) (Roosevelt School District) (Arizona).
OCT. 2004 CONCHOS FAILING STATUS UPDATE: Conchos named one of 11 failing Arizona schools.
(SOURCE--Betty Reid/The Arizona Republic)
NOV. 1, 2004 UPDATE: "While school officials await the outcome of an appeal regarding two failing schools in the
Roosevelt district, not everyone is surprised how the state ranked Maxine O Bush and Conchos. Socorro Ramos,
a grandparent at Ignacio Conchos School, is philosophical about the situation. 'I'm happy the state stepped in
because it can only make that school better,' Ramos said. 'When my grandkids come and tell me they aren't
learning how to spell or read, then someone needs to make it right.' " (Ibid.)
FEB. 19, 2005 STATE INTERVENTION UPDATE: "Arizona Department of Education officials told parents at a
community meeting that instead of charging in and taking over the failing Ignacio Conchos School in the
Roosevelt School District... they will collect data to come up with an intervention plan....Fewer than 30 Conchos
parents attended the town (CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
ALLEN, Douglas B.
Teacher, to ass't principal, to technology director; to principal-I.G. Conchos School (700 students) ($2 million
M&O budget) (Roosevelt School District) (Arizona).
OCT. 2004 CONCHOS FAILING STATUS UPDATE: Conchos named one of 11 failing Arizona schools.
(SOURCE--Betty Reid/The Arizona Republic)
NOV. 1, 2004 UPDATE: "While school officials await the outcome of an appeal regarding two failing schools in the
Roosevelt district, not everyone is surprised how the state ranked Maxine O Bush and Conchos. Socorro Ramos,
a grandparent at Ignacio Conchos School, is philosophical about the situation. 'I'm happy the state stepped in
because it can only make that school better,' Ramos said. 'When my grandkids come and tell me they aren't
learning how to spell or read, then someone needs to make it right.' " (Ibid.)
FEB. 19, 2005 STATE INTERVENTION UPDATE: "Arizona Department of Education officials told parents at a
community meeting that instead of charging in and taking over the failing Ignacio Conchos School in the
Roosevelt School District... they will collect data to come up with an intervention plan....Fewer than 30 Conchos
parents attended the town (CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
FROM SUPE TO EDU-HEADHUNTER
ALMO, Charles
Principal to subdistrict sup't to interim sup't (1989) to general sup't-Chicago
Public Schools. To professor-Roosevelt University. To consultant- Hazard,
Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd. (superintendent search firm). August 1989
school reform timeline/Chicago PS: "The Interim Board demotes Supt. Manford
Byrd, Jr. to consultant and selects another veteran Chicago administrator,
Charles Almo, as interim superintendent." (SOURCE--Catalyst-Chicago)
ALMO, Charles
Principal to subdistrict sup't to interim sup't (1989) to general sup't-Chicago
Public Schools. To professor-Roosevelt University. To consultant- Hazard,
Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd. (superintendent search firm). August 1989
school reform timeline/Chicago PS: "The Interim Board demotes Supt. Manford
Byrd, Jr. to consultant and selects another veteran Chicago administrator,
Charles Almo, as interim superintendent." (SOURCE--Catalyst-Chicago)
| Charles Almo with Jesse Jackson/1971 Forrestville- MLK HS dedication |
LAUSD's BELMONT HS's LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT
ALONZO, Richard
Sup't/Local District #4 (formerly F)-Los Angeles USD (salary $157,605)
(provisional 2005-06 LAUSD budget $6.54 billion) (California).
According to district sources, Alonzo is the only LAUSD local
superintendent still an LAUSD sup't of eleven from four years ago.
NOTE: The most expensive high school in America, Belmont Learning
Center, is located in Alonzo's district; total costs to complete the project
approach $500 million.
JUNE 27, 1999 BELMONT HS UPDATE: How LAUSD's dream became a
nightmare--Long before the Belmont Learning Center turned into a toxic
nightmare for Los Angeles school officials, it was a dream: an
innovative academy for teenagers that would be the talk of the nation, a
Taj Mahal to public education .
(CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
Sup't/Local District #4 (formerly F)-Los Angeles USD (salary $157,605)
(provisional 2005-06 LAUSD budget $6.54 billion) (California).
According to district sources, Alonzo is the only LAUSD local
superintendent still an LAUSD sup't of eleven from four years ago.
NOTE: The most expensive high school in America, Belmont Learning
Center, is located in Alonzo's district; total costs to complete the project
approach $500 million.
JUNE 27, 1999 BELMONT HS UPDATE: How LAUSD's dream became a
nightmare--Long before the Belmont Learning Center turned into a toxic
nightmare for Los Angeles school officials, it was a dream: an
innovative academy for teenagers that would be the talk of the nation, a
Taj Mahal to public education .
(CONTINUED BELOW: See FOLLOW-UPS)
| Alonzo (front, center) with recipients of Nat'l Network of Partnership Schools-- Johns Hopkins University (2004 Partnership District Award) |
| ALGAZE, Louis J., cont'd |
| ALLEGRETTA, Regina, cont'd |
| ALLEN, Douglas B., cont'd |
| ALONZO, Richard, cont'd |
hall....Conchos Principal
Douglas B. Allen could
not be reached for
comment." (Ibid.)
MAY 9, 2005 UPDATE:
"The Roosevelt
Elementary School
District will retain the
principal of the failing I.G.
Conchos School, keep
him at his
$87,000 salary and
reassign him
to another job within the
school system. School
Board officials said
that even though
Conchos received
three consecutive
underperforming
labels from the Arizona
Department of
Education, the blame
should not
fall entirely on Principal
Doug Allen. (Ibid.)
Douglas B. Allen could
not be reached for
comment." (Ibid.)
MAY 9, 2005 UPDATE:
"The Roosevelt
Elementary School
District will retain the
principal of the failing I.G.
Conchos School, keep
him at his
$87,000 salary and
reassign him
to another job within the
school system. School
Board officials said
that even though
Conchos received
three consecutive
underperforming
labels from the Arizona
Department of
Education, the blame
should not
fall entirely on Principal
Doug Allen. (Ibid.)
MAR. 26, 2005
UPDATE: "My staff
hasn't been together
to grieve
until today," said
Regina Allegretta, of
Homosassa
Elementary. "We've
consoled each other,
but we need to do that
as a school
community. "When
school resumes from
Spring Break on
Tuesday, crisis
counselors will be on
hand to assist
students and
teachers. "My hopes
are that parents have
had time to talk with
their children, to
bring them comfort,"
Allegretta said. "You
have to rebuild all that
innocence that was
lost, to bring them
back to feel
comfortable."
(SOURCE--Associated
Press)
UPDATE: "My staff
hasn't been together
to grieve
until today," said
Regina Allegretta, of
Homosassa
Elementary. "We've
consoled each other,
but we need to do that
as a school
community. "When
school resumes from
Spring Break on
Tuesday, crisis
counselors will be on
hand to assist
students and
teachers. "My hopes
are that parents have
had time to talk with
their children, to
bring them comfort,"
Allegretta said. "You
have to rebuild all that
innocence that was
lost, to bring them
back to feel
comfortable."
(SOURCE--Associated
Press)
JULY 28, 2005 UPDATE: "Calling it an
'embarrassing situation,' Otterbein
President Brent DeVore said yesterday his
chief mission is to get to the bottom of the
school’s involvement with a Florida man
charged with running a diploma mill.
'embarrassing situation,' Otterbein
President Brent DeVore said yesterday his
chief mission is to get to the bottom of the
school’s involvement with a Florida man
charged with running a diploma mill.
| McCoggle a 'scam artist' |
'He was a scam artist,' said DeVore of
William McCoggle, the Miami teacher at
the heart of a scandal involving hundreds of
sham teacher certifications in Florida.
McCoggle was charged last week with
grand theft and fraud after a nine-month
grand jury investigation of his company,
Move On Toward Education and Training
[MOTET]....DeVore said Otterbein began
looking into the MOTET relationship in
January, but did not investigate fully until
June. The Miami-Dade state attorney’s
office has said 629 teachers got Otterbein
credits through MOTET....In Oklahoma, a
state investigation led to the resignation
of Eastern Oklahoma’s president. The
school offered to refund any money it had
received from students for MOTET
classes." (SOURCE--Kathy Lynn Gray/THE
COLUMBUS DISPATCH)
NOTE: Otterbein College is a private liberal
arts college in Westerville, Ohio.
William McCoggle, the Miami teacher at
the heart of a scandal involving hundreds of
sham teacher certifications in Florida.
McCoggle was charged last week with
grand theft and fraud after a nine-month
grand jury investigation of his company,
Move On Toward Education and Training
[MOTET]....DeVore said Otterbein began
looking into the MOTET relationship in
January, but did not investigate fully until
June. The Miami-Dade state attorney’s
office has said 629 teachers got Otterbein
credits through MOTET....In Oklahoma, a
state investigation led to the resignation
of Eastern Oklahoma’s president. The
school offered to refund any money it had
received from students for MOTET
classes." (SOURCE--Kathy Lynn Gray/THE
COLUMBUS DISPATCH)
NOTE: Otterbein College is a private liberal
arts college in Westerville, Ohio.
| Two photos of LAUSD's $.5 billion Belmont "Money Pit" high school are not then and now, but then and then--this below has already been demolished, before a single class met. And construction continues at a crawl. (BELOW PHOTO/Leslie Dutton) |
NOV. 15, 2005 STATUS
UPDATE: Although
reported as assigned
effective July 1, 2005, as
of Nov. 15, 2005 Allen is
still listed on Conchos'
Website as principal.
DEC. 14, 2005 UPDATE:
Although
the Conchos Website
shows Art Zitt as
Conchos' new principal,
Allen is still shown by
Maricopa County as the
Conchos principal:
http://www.maricopa. gov/
schools/Pdf/school_list.pdf
UPDATE: Although
reported as assigned
effective July 1, 2005, as
of Nov. 15, 2005 Allen is
still listed on Conchos'
Website as principal.
DEC. 14, 2005 UPDATE:
Although
the Conchos Website
shows Art Zitt as
Conchos' new principal,
Allen is still shown by
Maricopa County as the
Conchos principal:
http://www.maricopa. gov/
schools/Pdf/school_list.pdf
Only it wasn't supposed to be at Temple
and Beaudry downtown. In 1986, the
complex was envisioned at the old
Ambassador Hotel, remembered as the
site where Robert F. Kennedy was
assassinated. The school of the future
would be a way to provide the best
education anywhere, and take thousands
of kids from poor neighborhoods off
buses and out of over-crowded
classrooms. The public-private ownership
theory crash-landed when the Los
Angeles Unified School District ran into a
legal challenge from a formidable quarter,
New York developer Donald Trump.
Undaunted, the dreamers fixated on a
downtown site that photos taken in the
early 1900s show was a forest of oil
derricks [see above].
and Beaudry downtown. In 1986, the
complex was envisioned at the old
Ambassador Hotel, remembered as the
site where Robert F. Kennedy was
assassinated. The school of the future
would be a way to provide the best
education anywhere, and take thousands
of kids from poor neighborhoods off
buses and out of over-crowded
classrooms. The public-private ownership
theory crash-landed when the Los
Angeles Unified School District ran into a
legal challenge from a formidable quarter,
New York developer Donald Trump.
Undaunted, the dreamers fixated on a
downtown site that photos taken in the
early 1900s show was a forest of oil
derricks [see above].
| Fed Exes filled with cash |
DEC. 14, 2005 PW
QUERY UPDATE: A
rolling banner across
the HES homepage
reads, "Where our
children come first."
Today queried
Allegratta as to what
these words mean.
Other queries:
o What steps if any
Allegretta took
professionally and/or
personally during
her tenure as ass't
principal at HES to
assure the safety
and protection of
school- children
entrusted to her
care, with particular
reference to the fact
that registered sex
offender John
Evander Couey
worked at HES where
she was employed in
a position of trust and
authority, from
January 2004 to April
2004, in proximity to
young student
Jessica Lunsford.
o If Allegretta feels
she was not
responsible for such
safety and
protection of
Jessica and other
students, whose
responsibility does
she feel it was--the
school board's? The
superin- tendent's?
Someone else's?
o Is there is a
reasonable
explanation for why
John Evander Couey
worked at HES
during Allegratta's
watch or if any of the
foregoing facts are
not correct.
o In what name is
Allegretta's Florida
educator certificate?
Searches for "Regina
Allegretta" with and
without naming
Citrus yield "No
matching records."
o What is
Allegretta's annual
salary? What dollar
amount is her
discretionary
budget? How much
does she spend
each year on such
expenses as
conferences,
trainings, seminars,
travel, mileage and
meals?
QUERY UPDATE: A
rolling banner across
the HES homepage
reads, "Where our
children come first."
Today queried
Allegratta as to what
these words mean.
Other queries:
o What steps if any
Allegretta took
professionally and/or
personally during
her tenure as ass't
principal at HES to
assure the safety
and protection of
school- children
entrusted to her
care, with particular
reference to the fact
that registered sex
offender John
Evander Couey
worked at HES where
she was employed in
a position of trust and
authority, from
January 2004 to April
2004, in proximity to
young student
Jessica Lunsford.
o If Allegretta feels
she was not
responsible for such
safety and
protection of
Jessica and other
students, whose
responsibility does
she feel it was--the
school board's? The
superin- tendent's?
Someone else's?
o Is there is a
reasonable
explanation for why
John Evander Couey
worked at HES
during Allegratta's
watch or if any of the
foregoing facts are
not correct.
o In what name is
Allegretta's Florida
educator certificate?
Searches for "Regina
Allegretta" with and
without naming
Citrus yield "No
matching records."
o What is
Allegretta's annual
salary? What dollar
amount is her
discretionary
budget? How much
does she spend
each year on such
expenses as
conferences,
trainings, seminars,
travel, mileage and
meals?
AUG. 5, 2005 UPDATE: "After the fat FedEx
envelopes began arriving regularly for her
husband, Dan Thompson [Otterbein's
former associate dean for academic
affairs], Valerie Thompson couldn’t help
but wonder what they contained. One day,
curiosity got the better of her. She opened
the envelope, and $3,000 in cash fell out.
Thompson was astounded. 'He was
getting at least one a week at our house. I
said: ‘Why do you have all that money?’ He
said, ‘I have to take that to Otterbein and
divvy it up, give the registrar’s office their
part and give the rest to Stephen Storck,’'
Otterbein’s vice president for business
affairs. 'I just remember going: ‘Oh my
gosh, why are you getting all this cash?’'
The money, Valerie Thompson learned,
had come from William McCoggle, a Miami
man whose company partnered with
Otterbein College for at least four years to
provide college credits to Florida teachers.
Dan Thompson headed up the program for
Otterbein." (Ibid.) "Thompson died of a
heart attack in March." (SOURCE--Associated
Press)
envelopes began arriving regularly for her
husband, Dan Thompson [Otterbein's
former associate dean for academic
affairs], Valerie Thompson couldn’t help
but wonder what they contained. One day,
curiosity got the better of her. She opened
the envelope, and $3,000 in cash fell out.
Thompson was astounded. 'He was
getting at least one a week at our house. I
said: ‘Why do you have all that money?’ He
said, ‘I have to take that to Otterbein and
divvy it up, give the registrar’s office their
part and give the rest to Stephen Storck,’'
Otterbein’s vice president for business
affairs. 'I just remember going: ‘Oh my
gosh, why are you getting all this cash?’'
The money, Valerie Thompson learned,
had come from William McCoggle, a Miami
man whose company partnered with
Otterbein College for at least four years to
provide college credits to Florida teachers.
Dan Thompson headed up the program for
Otterbein." (Ibid.) "Thompson died of a
heart attack in March." (SOURCE--Associated
Press)
DEC. 15, 2005 UPDATE:
Allen is
now working as
"Administrator on
Special Assignment" at
Roosevelt ESD.
DEC. 16. 2005 UPDATE:
The state education chief
told Roosevelt School
District leaders this
week to move out of the
way of a new
superintendent for three
years to get
poor-performing
campuses back on track.
Arizona Superintendent
of Public Instruction
Tom Horne made his
proposal before about
200 parents, principals
and teachers....A
three-year contract
should spell out specific
academic goals to be
achieved by 2008, Horne
told board members.
"Then, get out of his or
her way," Horne said.
"Provide in the contract,
and publicly pledge, that
the superintendent will
have full authority to
hire and fire and that
neither the board nor
any of its members will
interfere in any way
with hiring or firing
decisions."... After four
years of watching
Roosevelt schools fall
below average on
Arizona Learns, the
state's report card,
Horne decided to
pursue state legislation
next year that would
give the state authority
to take over districts
with poor academic
performance. Horne
came to talk to the board
at the invitation of
Roosevelt's designee
superintendent, Mark
Dowling, who
wanted to hear his views
about improving
Roosevelt schools.
(SOURCE--Betty Reid/The
Arizona Republic)
Allen is
now working as
"Administrator on
Special Assignment" at
Roosevelt ESD.
DEC. 16. 2005 UPDATE:
The state education chief
told Roosevelt School
District leaders this
week to move out of the
way of a new
superintendent for three
years to get
poor-performing
campuses back on track.
Arizona Superintendent
of Public Instruction
Tom Horne made his
proposal before about
200 parents, principals
and teachers....A
three-year contract
should spell out specific
academic goals to be
achieved by 2008, Horne
told board members.
"Then, get out of his or
her way," Horne said.
"Provide in the contract,
and publicly pledge, that
the superintendent will
have full authority to
hire and fire and that
neither the board nor
any of its members will
interfere in any way
with hiring or firing
decisions."... After four
years of watching
Roosevelt schools fall
below average on
Arizona Learns, the
state's report card,
Horne decided to
pursue state legislation
next year that would
give the state authority
to take over districts
with poor academic
performance. Horne
came to talk to the board
at the invitation of
Roosevelt's designee
superintendent, Mark
Dowling, who
wanted to hear his views
about improving
Roosevelt schools.
(SOURCE--Betty Reid/The
Arizona Republic)
| ONLY IN LOS ANGELES: Build a high school on an abandoned oil field. In earthquake territory. |
The wells, most forgotten, unmapped and
improperly abandoned, left a legacy of
contamination and risk for any future
development. Warning signs were
everywhere, from state engineers and
scientists, from politicians and
residents, even the man who used to
own the oil field. All went unheeded.
And now, more than $170 million later and
13 years after the need for a new high
school in one of the most impacted parts
of the city was identified, the massive
steel skeleton of the nation's costliest high
school campus stands partially built, a
stark symbol of defiance, a star-crossed
project, many say, that should never have
been started. "This was never about the
kids, it was about a building, a symbol,"
said Assemblyman Scott Wildman,
D-Glendale, who has investigated the
district's purchase of toxic land for
schools. "The problem is they got
themselves a real loser of a site and no
one wanted to admit it. They pushed
ahead, no matter what. Now it's the kids
that are the losers." Through the years
improperly abandoned, left a legacy of
contamination and risk for any future
development. Warning signs were
everywhere, from state engineers and
scientists, from politicians and
residents, even the man who used to
own the oil field. All went unheeded.
And now, more than $170 million later and
13 years after the need for a new high
school in one of the most impacted parts
of the city was identified, the massive
steel skeleton of the nation's costliest high
school campus stands partially built, a
stark symbol of defiance, a star-crossed
project, many say, that should never have
been started. "This was never about the
kids, it was about a building, a symbol,"
said Assemblyman Scott Wildman,
D-Glendale, who has investigated the
district's purchase of toxic land for
schools. "The problem is they got
themselves a real loser of a site and no
one wanted to admit it. They pushed
ahead, no matter what. Now it's the kids
that are the losers." Through the years
| How McCoggle worked MOTET -- at colleges and universities |
AUG. 9, 2005 UPDATE: Eastern Oklahoma
State University President Richard
Bernard told WSVN in 2004 that he
"believes bogus credits were issued
through an arrangement between the
university's former president and William
McCoggle, a retired PE teacher at Palmetto
High in Pinecrest....Herb Cousins, the
inspector general for Miami-Dade schools,
says the investigation is far from over....So
far more than one hundred teachers may
still be reprimanded for claiming they took
other courses through Eastern Oklahoma
State and McCoggle. But all of those
teachers are still in the classroom,
although they may not be there by the end of
the year. Since the state attorney's office
did not file charges against them the
school district now has to build cases for
disciplinary action." (SOURCE--Carmel
Cafiero/WSVN)
State University President Richard
Bernard told WSVN in 2004 that he
"believes bogus credits were issued
through an arrangement between the
university's former president and William
McCoggle, a retired PE teacher at Palmetto
High in Pinecrest....Herb Cousins, the
inspector general for Miami-Dade schools,
says the investigation is far from over....So
far more than one hundred teachers may
still be reprimanded for claiming they took
other courses through Eastern Oklahoma
State and McCoggle. But all of those
teachers are still in the classroom,
although they may not be there by the end of
the year. Since the state attorney's office
did not file charges against them the
school district now has to build cases for
disciplinary action." (SOURCE--Carmel
Cafiero/WSVN)
the project has taken
on the twists of a soap
opera: back-room
deals, bankruptcy, love
affairs, political
hay-making, charges of
phone tapping and
demands for criminal
investigations.
(SOURCE--Terri
Hardy/Los Angeles Daily
News)
on the twists of a soap
opera: back-room
deals, bankruptcy, love
affairs, political
hay-making, charges of
phone tapping and
demands for criminal
investigations.
(SOURCE--Terri
Hardy/Los Angeles Daily
News)
| Why prosecuting erramt MDPS teachers would be tough for MDPS |
SEP. 2, 2005 UPDATE: "Up to 1,000 Miami-
Dade County public school teachers
allegedly purchased bogus continuing
education credits and could lose their jobs,
far more than the previously reported
number of 106, according to law
enforcement authorities. If the crowded
school district lost 1,000 teachers, or
about 5 percent of its 20,000 teachers,
that would create a grave teacher
shortage, officials say. Miami-Dade is the
nation’s fourth-largest school district, with
about 367,000 students....The teachers who
took the bogus courses include 657 who
took courses from Otterbein College in
Ohio, 106 who took courses from East
Oklahoma State College, and an unknown
number who received credits from Bethel
College in McKenzie, Tenn., St. Gregory’s
University in Shawnee, Okla., and Phillips
University in Enid, Okla. The vast majority,
according to Crew’s memo and law
enforcement sources, are from Miami-
Dade. However, according to a report from
East Oklahoma University, some teachers
from Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe
counties are also implicated....One
licensed Miami-Dade teacher who took a
continuing education course through
McCoggle is State Rep. Rafael Arza, R-
Hialeah, who no longer teaches but is
licensed through 2006. Arza, who chairs
the Legislature’s Pre K-12 said in an
Dade County public school teachers
allegedly purchased bogus continuing
education credits and could lose their jobs,
far more than the previously reported
number of 106, according to law
enforcement authorities. If the crowded
school district lost 1,000 teachers, or
about 5 percent of its 20,000 teachers,
that would create a grave teacher
shortage, officials say. Miami-Dade is the
nation’s fourth-largest school district, with
about 367,000 students....The teachers who
took the bogus courses include 657 who
took courses from Otterbein College in
Ohio, 106 who took courses from East
Oklahoma State College, and an unknown
number who received credits from Bethel
College in McKenzie, Tenn., St. Gregory’s
University in Shawnee, Okla., and Phillips
University in Enid, Okla. The vast majority,
according to Crew’s memo and law
enforcement sources, are from Miami-
Dade. However, according to a report from
East Oklahoma University, some teachers
from Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe
counties are also implicated....One
licensed Miami-Dade teacher who took a
continuing education course through
McCoggle is State Rep. Rafael Arza, R-
Hialeah, who no longer teaches but is
licensed through 2006. Arza, who chairs
the Legislature’s Pre K-12 said in an
| Scott Wildman |
MARCH 4, 2003 BELMONT
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: "The series of
events that put a $160 million high school
on an earthquake fault riddled with toxic
pollution may have been a 'disaster of
biblical proportions,' according to the
district attorney, but not one that involved
any criminal wrongdoing. A 220-page
report released...by District Attorney
Steve Cooley's office detailed a two-year
investigation into the half-built Belmont
Learning Center, the costliest high school
project in the nation....'Unfortunately,
district policies and procedures, ineffective
state laws and multiple layers of
oversight with no accountability created a
'perfect storm' of factors that led to the
Belmont fiasco,' according to Cooley. He
added that the way the Belmont Learning
Center evolved without competitive
bidding 'offers a blueprint of a public
project disaster in the making and, as
importantly, ways to prevent this from
occurring again.' Construction on the
school was halted three years ago after it
was discovered that toxic, and possibly
explosive, gases seeping from an old oil
field had polluted the site just west of
downtown." (SOURCE--Associated
Press/CNN)
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: "The series of
events that put a $160 million high school
on an earthquake fault riddled with toxic
pollution may have been a 'disaster of
biblical proportions,' according to the
district attorney, but not one that involved
any criminal wrongdoing. A 220-page
report released...by District Attorney
Steve Cooley's office detailed a two-year
investigation into the half-built Belmont
Learning Center, the costliest high school
project in the nation....'Unfortunately,
district policies and procedures, ineffective
state laws and multiple layers of
oversight with no accountability created a
'perfect storm' of factors that led to the
Belmont fiasco,' according to Cooley. He
added that the way the Belmont Learning
Center evolved without competitive
bidding 'offers a blueprint of a public
project disaster in the making and, as
importantly, ways to prevent this from
occurring again.' Construction on the
school was halted three years ago after it
was discovered that toxic, and possibly
explosive, gases seeping from an old oil
field had polluted the site just west of
downtown." (SOURCE--Associated
Press/CNN)
DEC. 27, 2005 PW
UPDATE:
Today sent the following
queries to Doug Allen:
(1) What is your job
description as
"Administrator on
Special Assignment"?
What might be some
examples of activities
in which you are
currently involved? Is it
true that you are still
drawing your $87,000
Conchos salary?
(2) Your board said
you were not entirely
responsible for I.G.
Conchos having
received three
consecutive
underperforming labels
from the Arizona
Department of
Education. To whom
or what set of
circumstances would
you assign
responsibility for
Conchos' failure?
(3) What education-
related memberships
have you held within the
last three years? What
education-related
seminars, workshops
and/or conferences
have you attended in
the past three years
and what would be the
approximate total
expenses for those?
What might be some
examples of what you
learned from these
that you were able to
put to use at Conchos?
(4) Knowing the
results at Conchos
which are now known,
what would you have
done differently
two-three years ago to
have improved things
there more and to
avoid the under-
performing labels?
UPDATE:
Today sent the following
queries to Doug Allen:
(1) What is your job
description as
"Administrator on
Special Assignment"?
What might be some
examples of activities
in which you are
currently involved? Is it
true that you are still
drawing your $87,000
Conchos salary?
(2) Your board said
you were not entirely
responsible for I.G.
Conchos having
received three
consecutive
underperforming labels
from the Arizona
Department of
Education. To whom
or what set of
circumstances would
you assign
responsibility for
Conchos' failure?
(3) What education-
related memberships
have you held within the
last three years? What
education-related
seminars, workshops
and/or conferences
have you attended in
the past three years
and what would be the
approximate total
expenses for those?
What might be some
examples of what you
learned from these
that you were able to
put to use at Conchos?
(4) Knowing the
results at Conchos
which are now known,
what would you have
done differently
two-three years ago to
have improved things
there more and to
avoid the under-
performing labels?
| FEB. 25, 2006 STATUS: No response. |
interview that he took one course from
McCoggle in the mid-1990s while teaching
at Miami Senior High School. He said he
does not remember which school the
course was offered from, but says he did
do a term paper to receive his credit. He
also says he does not remember to whom
he wrote a check. 'I need to go back to my
records,' Arza said. 'That’s the only time I
dealt with McCoggle. But I know I turned in
work.' Arza said he took the course just a
year before
McCoggle in the mid-1990s while teaching
at Miami Senior High School. He said he
does not remember which school the
course was offered from, but says he did
do a term paper to receive his credit. He
also says he does not remember to whom
he wrote a check. 'I need to go back to my
records,' Arza said. 'That’s the only time I
dealt with McCoggle. But I know I turned in
work.' Arza said he took the course just a
year before
APR. 30, 2004 UPDATE--Is Belmont HS a
pawn in LAUSD's financial shell game?
Scott Wildman, former Chairman of the
California Joint Legislative Audit
Committee describes how LAUSD evaded
environmental laws covering commercial
developments by promoting the Belmont
Learning Center as a Joint Use project.
“Our report fairly clearly demonstrated that
the real goal of the school construction
project during that period of time was NOT
to build schools. It was to try to generate
more money for the District.." (SOURCE--
Leslie Dutton/Full Disclosure Network)
pawn in LAUSD's financial shell game?
Scott Wildman, former Chairman of the
California Joint Legislative Audit
Committee describes how LAUSD evaded
environmental laws covering commercial
developments by promoting the Belmont
Learning Center as a Joint Use project.
“Our report fairly clearly demonstrated that
the real goal of the school construction
project during that period of time was NOT
to build schools. It was to try to generate
more money for the District.." (SOURCE--
Leslie Dutton/Full Disclosure Network)
| Sandra "Sam" Himmel |
DEC. 14, 2005 PW
UPDATE: Have also
today contacted Citrus
superintendent
Sandra Himmel
asking why the
district's letter to
vendors regarding
compliance with HB
1877 (the Jessica
Lunsford Act) is
dated Sept. 19,
2005--five and a half
months after Gov.
Jeb Bush approved
the legislation and
almost three weeks
after the bill went into
effect.
http://www.citrus.k12.fl.
us/lunsfordact/vendorin
formationletter.pdf
UPDATE: Have also
today contacted Citrus
superintendent
Sandra Himmel
asking why the
district's letter to
vendors regarding
compliance with HB
1877 (the Jessica
Lunsford Act) is
dated Sept. 19,
2005--five and a half
months after Gov.
Jeb Bush approved
the legislation and
almost three weeks
after the bill went into
effect.
http://www.citrus.k12.fl.
us/lunsfordact/vendorin
formationletter.pdf
running for the Miami-Dade School Board,
an election he lost. Arza said he has not
been contacted about the McCoggle
investigation." (SOURCE--Daily Business
Review)
SEPT. 21, 2005 UPDATE: "The
superintendent of the Miami-Dade County
schools is vowing to fire more than 750
teachers if they knowingly participated in an
alleged scheme to present phony credits for
recertification and license endorsements.
And Rudolph F. Crew is moving forward with
plans to replace any dismissed teachers
with New Orleans teachers who are
jobless following Hurricane Katrina."
(SOURCE--Karla Scoon Reid/Education Week)
an election he lost. Arza said he has not
been contacted about the McCoggle
investigation." (SOURCE--Daily Business
Review)
SEPT. 21, 2005 UPDATE: "The
superintendent of the Miami-Dade County
schools is vowing to fire more than 750
teachers if they knowingly participated in an
alleged scheme to present phony credits for
recertification and license endorsements.
And Rudolph F. Crew is moving forward with
plans to replace any dismissed teachers
with New Orleans teachers who are
jobless following Hurricane Katrina."
(SOURCE--Karla Scoon Reid/Education Week)
AUG. 15, 2005 LAUSD'S SECRET
FINANCING OPERATION UPDATE:
Los Angeles Unified School District Board
member David Tokofsky disclosed the
existence of an unknown school financing
operation which has been concealed from
the public eye apparently to avoid scrutiny.
(Ibid.)
FINANCING OPERATION UPDATE:
Los Angeles Unified School District Board
member David Tokofsky disclosed the
existence of an unknown school financing
operation which has been concealed from
the public eye apparently to avoid scrutiny.
(Ibid.)
FEB. 16, 2006--AND THE FINAL
WORD ON PRICEY CONSTRUC-
TION GOES TO MR. ALONZO:
"I am angry that people think that
this community does not deserve
a school of this caliber."
(SOURCE/Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Daily
News)
WORD ON PRICEY CONSTRUC-
TION GOES TO MR. ALONZO:
"I am angry that people think that
this community does not deserve
a school of this caliber."
(SOURCE/Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Daily
News)
NOV. 11, 2005
UPDATE: "A former
Miami-Dade County
teacher who awarded
more than 600 South
Florida teachers
bogus college credits
through his diploma
mill has agreed to
plea guilty to theft
and fraud charges
and serve two years
in prison, prosecutors
announced in court on
Thursday....Under the
terms of the plea deal,
McCoggle will pay up
to $100,000 in
restitution and
cooperate with
investigators who
want to see how far
his scheme
reached....Among the
teachers who (cont'd)
UPDATE: "A former
Miami-Dade County
teacher who awarded
more than 600 South
Florida teachers
bogus college credits
through his diploma
mill has agreed to
plea guilty to theft
and fraud charges
and serve two years
in prison, prosecutors
announced in court on
Thursday....Under the
terms of the plea deal,
McCoggle will pay up
to $100,000 in
restitution and
cooperate with
investigators who
want to see how far
his scheme
reached....Among the
teachers who (cont'd)
| FEB. 25, 2006 STATUS: No response. |
| Rep. Rafael Arza at Milken Family Foundation Teacher Advancement Program education conference in Vail, Colorado: You have to make sure you have enough relationship depth so that when you lose a key player in the reform process, you don't lose momentum. (SOURCE/TAP) |
| Full Disclosure Network's Leslie Dutton takes A CLOSER LOOK at Belmont |
| Streaming video on Belmont demolition here: www.fulldisclosure.net/flash/BelmontD emolition-5min.htm |
| FEB. 25, 2006 STATUS: No response. |
| Report on Belmont demolition "Partially (60%) completed LAUSD Belmont Learning Center campus shown below. Costs to date have been estimated by LAUSD to be $174 million and by the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee to be $238 million. That includes purchasing 37 acres formerly known as the Los Angeles oil field from Japanese developer SHIMIZU for $30 million 'as is.' Not all, but some, of the newly constructed Belmont buildings that were built on top of an earth quake fault and impacted by methane gas and hydrogen sulfide are to be demolished in the Fall of 2004. An additional $110 million has been approved by LAUSD for demolition and construction to complete the project. LAUSD and oil and gas experts vary in their projected costs for remediation of the toxic substances, estimates range from $14 million to $107 million. Therefore, it is possible that Belmont High School could cost just under one-half a BILLION dollars, barring any cost overruns and change orders. " (SOURCE--Leslie Dutton/FullDisclosure Network) www.fulldisclosure.net/flash/BelmontDemolition-5 min.htm |
| PW COMMENT: While it may have wowed the educrats in Vail, the rest of us are left marveling at the sheer eduspeak above right. What is "relationship depth" in a public school? Who might a "key player" in the "reform process" be? And when, pray tell, have public schools ever had a moment of momentum in their"reform process"? |
received credits are three Florida
legislators: state Rep. Ralph Arza,
R-Hialeah, and state Rep. Edward Bullard
and his wife, state Sen. Larcenia Bullard,
both Democrats and former educators.
legislators: state Rep. Ralph Arza,
R-Hialeah, and state Rep. Edward Bullard
and his wife, state Sen. Larcenia Bullard,
both Democrats and former educators.
| McCoggle's plea bargain |
Prosecutors have not charged any of the
teachers, but officials with the Palm Beach,
Broward and Miami-Dade county school
districts said internal investigations could
lead to disciplinary actions, including
firings....McCoggle is scheduled to return to
court Nov. 18." (SOURCE/Ihosvani
Rodriguez/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
teachers, but officials with the Palm Beach,
Broward and Miami-Dade county school
districts said internal investigations could
lead to disciplinary actions, including
firings....McCoggle is scheduled to return to
court Nov. 18." (SOURCE/Ihosvani
Rodriguez/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
NOV. 18, 2005 UPDATE: McCoggle, "the
former Palmetto Senior High gym teacher
accused of running a diploma mill pleaded
guilty on Friday to committing an organized
scheme to defraud, and he agreed to help
prosecutors track down others involved.
''I'm sorry for what I have done,' William
McCoggle, 73, softly told Circuit Judge
Sarah I. Zabel." (SOURCE--Susannah B.
Nesmith & Matthew I. Pinzur/Miami Herald)
former Palmetto Senior High gym teacher
accused of running a diploma mill pleaded
guilty on Friday to committing an organized
scheme to defraud, and he agreed to help
prosecutors track down others involved.
''I'm sorry for what I have done,' William
McCoggle, 73, softly told Circuit Judge
Sarah I. Zabel." (SOURCE--Susannah B.
Nesmith & Matthew I. Pinzur/Miami Herald)
| Aerial view of Belmont HS/Learning Center (PHOTO/Leslie Dutton-Full Disclosure Network) |
| MOTET a 'diploma mill' |
NOV. 20, 2005 UPDATE: "In court Friday,
[McCoggle] apologized and promised to
cooperate with investigators....Prosecutors
said McCoggle collected more than
$250,000 while running Move On Toward
Education and Training, a program they
called a diploma mill. A Florida grand jury
found no evidence of teachers attending
classes, completing assignments or
meeting with instructors. The credits given
to teachers, many in the Miami-Dade area,
allowed them to bump up their salaries,
teach new courses or meet Florida's
continuing education requirements. The
program offered certification courses in
such subjects as drivers' education and
physical education. Several Miami-Dade
County teachers who received their training
through the program were pulled from
such classes shortly before the school
year began....Under the plea agreement,
McCoggle must serve 10 years in prison
if he doesn't tell prosecutors all he knows
or does not provide all the documents
pertaining to the organization." (SOURCE/
St. Petersburg Times-Associated Press)
[McCoggle] apologized and promised to
cooperate with investigators....Prosecutors
said McCoggle collected more than
$250,000 while running Move On Toward
Education and Training, a program they
called a diploma mill. A Florida grand jury
found no evidence of teachers attending
classes, completing assignments or
meeting with instructors. The credits given
to teachers, many in the Miami-Dade area,
allowed them to bump up their salaries,
teach new courses or meet Florida's
continuing education requirements. The
program offered certification courses in
such subjects as drivers' education and
physical education. Several Miami-Dade
County teachers who received their training
through the program were pulled from
such classes shortly before the school
year began....Under the plea agreement,
McCoggle must serve 10 years in prison
if he doesn't tell prosecutors all he knows
or does not provide all the documents
pertaining to the organization." (SOURCE/
St. Petersburg Times-Associated Press)
| Full Disclosure Network's Leslie Dutton (above) accepting Emmy in 2001 for her ground-breaking reporting entitled "L.A.'s War On Terrorism." |
| The whistleblower speaks out |
DEC. 2005 UPDATE: STATEMENT BY
BENNETT PACKMAN: "The school district
has their hand in this. They support Bill
McCoggle. They created Bill McCoggle.
They need Bill McCoggle. This all comes
back to money. They need to keep enough
certified driver education teachers around to
keep the program going or funding will be
lost from the state. The ramifications of
teachers having taken sham driver
education courses is enormous. Not being
prepared by a certified driver education
teacher leaves the Dade County School
System, Department of Education and the
individual teachers open to lawsuits by
students who received their licenses from
fraudulently certified teachers and have had
fatal or serious accidents. Contributory
negligence is a legal term that comes to
mind. The can of worms has been
opened." (SOURCE--Bennett Packman/
NAPTA)
BENNETT PACKMAN: "The school district
has their hand in this. They support Bill
McCoggle. They created Bill McCoggle.
They need Bill McCoggle. This all comes
back to money. They need to keep enough
certified driver education teachers around to
keep the program going or funding will be
lost from the state. The ramifications of
teachers having taken sham driver
education courses is enormous. Not being
prepared by a certified driver education
teacher leaves the Dade County School
System, Department of Education and the
individual teachers open to lawsuits by
students who received their licenses from
fraudulently certified teachers and have had
fatal or serious accidents. Contributory
negligence is a legal term that comes to
mind. The can of worms has been
opened." (SOURCE--Bennett Packman/
NAPTA)
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
| H e l p i n g A m e r i c a ' s M o m s & D a d s , s t u d e n t s a n d t a x p a y e r s |
P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
| F O L L O W - U P S |
WHAT'S WRONG ___ WHO'S RESPONSIBLE Education, Inc. & the big pot o'money Administrators on the Move, Educators in the News (Aa-Ald) (Ale-Alp) (AlQ-Anc) (And-Arz) (As-Az) Featured educator Where are they now? Lax oversight The media ___ WHAT YOU CAN DO Accountability Practical how-to's Success stories, Kindred spirits What to expect ___ Commentary/Home About Contact |
AASA - American Association of School Administrators ASA - Association of School Administrators CSD - Consolidated School District DOE - Department of Education ES - Elementary School HS - High School ISD - Independent School District JHS - Junior High School MS - Middle School MSM - Mainstream media NSBA - National School Boards Association NSPRA - National School Public Relations Association PS - Public School(s) SBEC - State Board for Educator Certification SD - School District Sup't - Superintendent TAKS - Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills TASA - Texas Association of School Administrators TASB - Texas Association of School Boards TASBO - Texas Association of School Business Officials TEA - Texas Education Agency TEKS - Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills USD - UnifiedUnited School District |
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| Copyright 1999-2006 Peyton Wolcott |
| POP QUIZ: How much time does your superintendent spend superintending and how much time does your superintendent spend networking and hobnobbing at the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Leadership Greater [Your City Name Here] events and so on? Ask to see his/her calendar some time. After all, you paid for it. |
David v. Goliath: How America's Moms & Dads are taking on Education, Inc. PEYTON WOLCOTT |
In The Little Engine That Could, a small train carrying toys confronts a seemingly impassable mountain. Try as they might, the toys cannot convince the Rusty Old Engine to say anything but “I can not.” It is left up to the Little Blue Engine to overcome insurmountable odds and pull the train to the other side with its rallying cry, “I think I can--I think I can. ________ Arizona desperately needs a Little Blue Engine of its own. This week’s news revealed that 80 percent of eighth-graders failed proficiency exams in reading and writing. Instead of challenging that failure, Arizona’s Rusty Old Education Engine is dropping expectations to a “more reasonable” level. Like the toys in the story, what children really need is to hop on a train that “can.” School choice is the ticket. --Darcy Olsen, in Arizona Republic |
The value to immigrant school children of learning to speak English well in school cannot be overstated. Census data shows that immigrants who can speak English very well earn twice as much on average as those who speak English poorly or not at all.¹ In light of this, continuing to put immigrant school children in bilingual education programs that have failed to teach them English for more than thirty years amounts to little more than government sponsored child abuse.” -- K.C. McAlpin ProEnglish ¹ U.S. Census, PUMS files, 1999 |
An Economist Looks at states' self-assessment of schools-- versus parents' ____ My results make a case that the time and money spent on high-stakes testing may simply lead to inflated test scores unaccompanied by increases in school quality. One point of contention in the school voucher debate is whether parents are able to accurately determine school quality. My results suggest that parents are not misled by test scores and may accurately measure school quality. --Angela Dills |
Many states have clearly set their expectations below NAEP's and are taking advantage of myriad ways to finagle even those expectations. This is no solution to the nation being at risk. It's more like the old game of take the federal money but find ways to avoid making the changes that the money is supposed to induce. --Chester Finn |
"The schools cannot allow parents to influence the kind of values-education their children receive in school; that is what is wrong with those who say there is a universal system of values. Our (humanistic) goals are incompatible with theirs. We must change their values." --Paul Haubner, N.E.A. specialist |
The time for thinkers has come. -- M. B. Eddy |
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." --Thomas Paine |
| QUERY THE PR GUY |
TO:
L. JOSEPH GARCIA,
CHIEF COMM. OFCR.
(MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
DATE:
Dec. 15, 2005
1. Regarding Margarita
Allemany-Moreno.... is
she employed by
Miami-Dade Public
Schools, yes or no?
6. Frederica Wilson,
MDPS' executive
director- Office of
Alternative Education
and Dropout
Prevention, uses the
"Dr." title...but her
doctorate is an
honorary one from
Florida Memorial College
(now Florida Memorial
University). Are there any
MDPS guidelines and/or
policies for district
employees' use of
honorary doctorate titles
on official MDPS
communications? Is she
receiving an additional
stipend, income or
payment of any kind for
this honorary doctorate as
part of her $112,394
(according to the Miami
Herald) MDPS salary?
Also, the Herald states
that she personally pays
tuition for some
students to attend
American Academy
High School Corp.,
circumventing the FCAT
and MDPS' own tutoring
and services as part of its
diploma-granting process.
Are there any MDPS
policies in place
prohibiting employees
from thwarting the FCAT
and MDPS' diploma
process? Also, regarding
the 5000 Role Models
program, all of the young
people depicted in the
illustration front and center
on the program's
Website...appear to
appear to be black males;
the Website states, "A
dropout prevention
intervention program for
minority young boys."
Are whites excluded? Are
girls excluded? I'm trying
to follow 5000 Role
Models' use of the word
"minority" as, according
to the Brookings
Institution, white
children are a very small
percentage of the MDPS
student population so
therefore would be in the
minority at MDPS.
L. JOSEPH GARCIA,
CHIEF COMM. OFCR.
(MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
DATE:
Dec. 15, 2005
1. Regarding Margarita
Allemany-Moreno.... is
she employed by
Miami-Dade Public
Schools, yes or no?
6. Frederica Wilson,
MDPS' executive
director- Office of
Alternative Education
and Dropout
Prevention, uses the
"Dr." title...but her
doctorate is an
honorary one from
Florida Memorial College
(now Florida Memorial
University). Are there any
MDPS guidelines and/or
policies for district
employees' use of
honorary doctorate titles
on official MDPS
communications? Is she
receiving an additional
stipend, income or
payment of any kind for
this honorary doctorate as
part of her $112,394
(according to the Miami
Herald) MDPS salary?
Also, the Herald states
that she personally pays
tuition for some
students to attend
American Academy
High School Corp.,
circumventing the FCAT
and MDPS' own tutoring
and services as part of its
diploma-granting process.
Are there any MDPS
policies in place
prohibiting employees
from thwarting the FCAT
and MDPS' diploma
process? Also, regarding
the 5000 Role Models
program, all of the young
people depicted in the
illustration front and center
on the program's
Website...appear to
appear to be black males;
the Website states, "A
dropout prevention
intervention program for
minority young boys."
Are whites excluded? Are
girls excluded? I'm trying
to follow 5000 Role
Models' use of the word
"minority" as, according
to the Brookings
Institution, white
children are a very small
percentage of the MDPS
student population so
therefore would be in the
minority at MDPS.
| NOTE: This is a follow up to my initial query to MDCPS on Nov. 29, 2005 |
| Response rec'd Jan. 9, 2006 |
Your needlessly
inflammatory question
notwithstanding, Miami-
Dade County Public
Schools has a strict
non-discrimination policy.
No student is denied the
opportunity to participate
in any program because of
race, gender or ethnicity.
inflammatory question
notwithstanding, Miami-
Dade County Public
Schools has a strict
non-discrimination policy.
No student is denied the
opportunity to participate
in any program because of
race, gender or ethnicity.
PW COMMENT: Lacking facts, Education, Inc. again responds with evasions and attempted diversions. How can factual questions be construed as being "needlessly inflammatory"? And Miami-Dade still hasn't answered the questions. |