Mike Falick's Blog

Here are Some Websites that can Help with the College Application Process

National Association for College Admission Counseling offers a four year calendar detailing what students should be doing to prepare for college.

St. John's School has links to several top Universities and information about financial aid and scholarships (click on the "College Counseling" tab on the left side of the page) .

College Board gives you a direct link to register for the SAT and AP tests.  College Board also provides information about more than 5,000 colleges and universities.

You can apply for college online at CollegeNET, Inc. which describes itself as

the world's leading 'virtual plumber' for higher education internet transactions. We provide here for your convenience over 1500 customized Internet admissions applications built for college and university programs. When applying to more than one program you save redundant typing since common data automatically travels from form to form.

College Application also has a lot of information about the college application process and scholarships.

Two Exciting New Features for this Blog: Now You Can Translate this Blog into 12 Languages with One Click and You Can Google It Too

I have added two exciting new features to this blog today.  The first is courtesy of Yahoo and is called Babel Fish.  What Babel Fish does is to translate any page on this blog into one of 12 languages (Chinese (simple or traditional), Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portugese, Russian, and Spanish).  The link to use Babel Fish is on the left side of this blog.  I have posted the Spanish translation of this post below as an example of the power of Babel Fish.

The second feature I have added is Google searching.  The link to do this can also be found on the left side of this blog and will allow you to search among the 367 posts or you can search the web from inside this site.

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Viernes, De Abril El 28 De 2006

Dos nuevas características que excitan para este Blog: Ahora usted puede traducir este Blog a 12 idiomas con un tecleo y usted puede Google

He agregado dos nuevas características que excitaban a este blog hoy.  El primer es cortesía de Yahoo y se llama los pescados de Babel.  Lo hace qué pescado de Babel debe traducir cualquier página en este blog a una de 12 idiomas (chinas (simple o tradicional), holandés, francés, alemán, Griego, italiano, japonés, coreano, Portugese, ruso, y español).  El acoplamiento para utilizar los pescados de Babel está en el lado izquierdo de este blog.  He fijado la traducción española de este poste abajo como ejemplo de la energía de los pescados de Babel.

La segunda característica que he agregado es el buscar de Google.  El acoplamiento para hacer esto se puede también encontrar en el lado izquierdo de este blog y permitirá que usted busque entre los 367 postes o usted puede buscar la tela por dentro de este sitio.

Fijado por Mike Falick el viernes, de abril el 28 de 2006 en 07:51 | Permalink

 

He agregado dos nuevas características que excitaban a este blog hoy.  El primer es cortesía de Yahoo y se llama los pescados de Babel.  Lo hace qué pescado de Babel debe traducir cualquier página en este blog a una de 12 idiomas (chinas (simple o tradicional), holandés, francés, alemán, Griego, italiano, japonés, coreano, Portugese, ruso, y español).  El acoplamiento para utilizar los pescados de Babel está en el lado izquierdo de este blog.  He fijado la traducción española de este poste abajo como ejemplo de la energía de los pescados de Babel.

La segunda característica que he agregado es el buscar de Google.  El acoplamiento para hacer esto se puede también encontrar en el lado izquierdo de este blog y permitirá que usted busque entre los 367 postes o usted puede buscar la tela por dentro de este sitio.

Dos nuevas características que excitan para este Blog: Ahora usted puede traducir este Blog a 12 idiomas con un tecleo y usted puede Google

He agregado dos nuevas características que excitaban a este blog hoy.  El primer es cortesía de Yahoo y se llama los pescados de Babel.  Lo hace qué pescado de Babel debe traducir cualquier página en este blog a una de 12 idiomas (chinas (simple o tradicional), holandés, francés, alemán, Griego, italiano, japonés, coreano, Portugese, ruso, y español).  El acoplamiento para utilizar los pescados de Babel está en el lado izquierdo de este blog.  He fijado la traducción española de este poste abajo como ejemplo de la energía de los pescados de Babel.

La segunda característica que he agregado es el buscar de Google.  El acoplamiento para hacer esto se puede también encontrar en el lado izquierdo de este blog y permitirá que usted busque entre los 367 postes o usted puede buscar la tela por dentro de este sitio.

California State Senate Endorses Illegal Immigrant Boycott May 1: Tells Students It's OK to Skip School Monday

Yesterday, the California State Senate did something truly remarkable.  By a vote of 24-13, the Democrat-controlled Senate approved a Resolution supporting the planned May 1 boycott by immigrants who are being asked to stay home from school and jobs and avoid spending money on Monday to demonstrate their importance to the U.S. economy.  So let me get this straight.  California's Senate has now said that it's ok for students to skip school Monday?!?

As you can imagine, the Resolution was not well received by the State's school superintendents.

You can read the Resolution here.

Friends of Texas Public Schools Gets the Message Out: Great Things are Happening in Texas Public Schools

There has been a great deal of negative (and often incorrect) information about public education in Texas.  To counter this negativity and to provide valid positive information, there is a new group called Friends of Texas Public Schools whose mission is to "promote the positives and strengthen the public's faith in Texas public schools."  Here are some of the points made by FOTPS in a recently released flyer (.pdf):

• TAKS Scores: 82% of African American 3rd graders passed in 2005 compared to 81% in 2004, 85% of Hispanic 3rd graders passed in 2005 compared to 83% in 2004, and 95% of Anglo 3rd graders passed in 2005 compared to 94% in 2004
• From 1994 to 2003:
  • Reading: The percentage of Hispanic 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 65% to 93%, the percentage of African American 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 60% to 92%, and the percentage of Anglo 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 87% to 98%.
  • Math: The percentage of Hispanic 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 47% to 98%, the percentage of African American 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 38% to 96%, and the percentage of Anglo 4th graders passing the State tests increased from 73% to 98%.
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Math Test:
  
  • Nationally, Texas 4th grade students rank
  • 1st in the United States for Anglo students, 1st in the United States for Asian students, 2nd in the United States for Hispanic students, and 2nd in the United States for African American students.
  • Nationally, Texas 8th grade students rank
    • 3rd in the United States for Anglo students, 3rd in the United States for Asian students, 2nd in the United States for Hispanic students, and 2nd in the United States for African American students.
• Texas is #1 in the United States for students taking advanced math courses
• Texas spends $1,080 less per student than the national average

Using the Modern Language Association's Language Map: Did You Know that There are 22,260 People in 77079 Who Speak English?

The Modern Language Association has just released its new Language Map.  From the MLA website:

The MLA Language Map is intended for use by students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about the linguistic and cultural composition of the United States. The MLA Language Map uses data from the 2000 United States census to display the locations and numbers of speakers of thirty languages and three groups of less commonly spoken languages in the United States. The census data are based on responses to the question, "Does this person speak a language other than English at home?" The Language Map illustrates the concentration of language speakers in zip codes and counties. The Data Center provides census data about over three hundred languages spoken in the United States, including actual numbers and percentages of speakers.

Want to know the number of people and what languages are spoken in Spring Branch by zip code?  Check it out here.

Representative Dwayne Bohac Files 2 Very Good Bills: Teachers Need a Raise and Parents Need a Sales Tax Break

Representative Dwayne Bohac has filed two bills that would be very good for the teachers and residents of Spring Branch.  The first bill, House Bill 68, would give all public school teachers, counselors and librarians an across-the-board $3,000 pay raise in an effort to recruit, retain and reward teachers.

The second bill, House Bill 18, would eliminate sales taxes on school supplies needed for elementary and secondary school students during the annual sales tax holiday. 

You can read more about these two very beneficial bills here (.pdf)).

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CONTACT: April 21, 2006

Patrick Gurski (512) 463-0727State Rep. Dwayne Bohac files two pro-education bills

HOUSTON

This week, State Representative Dwayne Bohac filed two bills that will increase teacher pay and assist families in purchasing school supplies.

“Behind active parent involvement, teachers are critical to the success of our children,” Bohac said. “Make no mistake about my goals in this session when it comes to education--our teachers are the bedrock of our school system.”

The legislation Bohac introduced would give all public school teachers, counselors and librarians an across-the-board $3,000 pay raise in an effort to recruit, retain and reward teachers.

Texas is part of the global market place,” Bohac said. “Not only do we have to have the best teachers in the country--but the best teachers in the world. Teachers are called on to wear many hats in the classroom. They deserve to be compensated for it.”

Rep. Bohac also introduced legislation that would eliminate sales taxes on school supplies that are required in elementary and secondary schools.

Under Bohac’s bill, items including pens, backpacks, paper and calculators would now be tax exempt on the annual Sales Tax Holiday, which is currently limited to just clothing and footwear.

According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts office, Texans saved more than $47 million during the tax holiday in 2005.

“This is one of the best examples of an easy way the state can help regular, hard-working Texans prepare their children for the school year,” Bohac said. “I know how easily the cost of  new clothes can add up when trying to provide for a family. Supplies should be tax free as well--my bill does this.”

The legislature returned to Austin on Monday to satisfy the Texas Supreme Court’s June 1 deadline to fix the way the state funds school districts. “Not only do we have to fix the way we pay for our schools, but we also have to figure out a way to take the tax burden off of home owners,” Bohac said. “Tax policy for me means a reduction in property taxes that is long-term. Education policy for me means a strong corps of public school teachers. We have to get this right."

Spring Branch becomes the First School District in Texas to Support a 5% Appraisal Cap

If you are like me (and 6 of the 7 members of the School Board), your appraised value will be going up 10% this year.  And because of Robin Hood, that money will not benefit the students in Spring Branch.

Our Board voted at tonight's Board meeting to become the first school district (as far as I know) to support the 5% appraisal cap proposed by a number of legislators, including Rep. Dwayne Bohac (House Bill 15).  Our Board has made our support contingent on something we desperately need in Spring Branch -- the elimination of Robin Hood. 

Our Legislative Priorities for the Special Session have now been amended to include the following:

Appraisal Caps: Support a 5% appraisal cap on residential property contingent on the elimination of Robin Hood.

Spring Branch Board Takes a Position on the 65% Rule

In August 2005, Governor Perry issued an Executive Order to implement the much discussed 65% Rule.  Last Friday, the Texas Education Agency posted its proposed 65% Rule implementation.  The posting gives anyone interested 15 days to submit public comments on the proposed Rule.  Our Board's Legislative Priority on the 65% Rule deals with the definition and provides

65% Rule: Support modification of definition of “classroom instruction” to include all student

Tonight the Board adopted a Resolution that supports this Legisative Priority and points to the specific student support services we believe should be included within the definition. 

This is a very important issue facing our District (and all school districts in Texas).  If you would like to comment on the proposed Rule, please send your comments by May 6 to Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez, Policy Coordination Division, Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 475-1497. Comments may also be submitted electronically to [email protected] or faxed to (512) 463-0028.

UPDATE (4/26/06): The Texas Education Agency will hold a public hearing to solicit testimony and input from the public on proposed implementation of the 65% Rule.  The hearing will be held on Friday, May 5, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 1-111 of the William B. Travis Building, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas.

 

Spring Branch Taxpayers: Here's What Your Tax Rate COULD Be.......

If you're like many (including 6 of the 7 members of the Board), your 2006 appraisal is in the mail and you will see the maximum 10% increase in your appraised value.  Like a friend I ran into at breakfast yesterday, you will be mad.  Before you direct that anger at Spring Branch, please consider the following:

    1.   Because of Robin Hood, very very little of that increase ultimately goes to Spring Branch.

    2.    Our biggest problem right now is Robin Hood.  As I have recently blogged, Robin Hood will cost our District $26.5 million in the 2006-2007 school year (and $38.5m the following year).  In real dollars to you, that's 19.97¢ of your tax rate and $399.40 of your taxes (on a $200,000 home) going out of the District to "help" the State of Texas meet its obligations to educate all children.  And that amount is going to increase to 27.57¢ and $551.40 next year.

    3.    In addition, the State mandates expenditures in many areas that are unfunded (see this previous post on this issue).  These unfunded mandates cost you about 7¢ of your tax rate.

Looking at this from the "what could your taxes be" perspective:

                 

Tax Rate (Excluding   Debt Service)	$1.575
Subtract Your Robin Hood Donation	19.97¢
Subtract the Unfunded Mandates	7¢
What Your Tax Rate Could Be	$1.305
What You Would Save (based on a $200,000 home)	$540.00

In addition, Spring Branch is one of the few remaining districts that has the 20% local option Homestead Exemption.  This is a tremendous benefit for our homeowners and is valued at approximately 18¢.  So if Robin Hood was eliminated (as it certainly should be) and the State fully funded its mandates, your effective tax rate could be $1.12/$100.  And that's before any reduction being proposed by the Legislature.

Off Topic: A How-to Website Tells How to Get a Human Customer Service Rep

I love this website.  Called (appropriately) gethuman, it provides instructions for how to get around those incredibly annoying "For customer service, press 1...." automated voice systems most companies now employ.