Education and Public School Issues for the Public

Ifay F. Chang*, Ph.D. Trustee of Somers Central School District*

* Any Statement(s) or Publication(s) By Ifay F. Chang Are His Personal Opinion Not Necessarily Endorsed by SCSD Unless Specifically Indicated

Education & School Boards

Editorial: Parents are the real teachers (9/5/08)
Study urges flipping teacher pay (9/4/08)
The mistrusted male teacher (9/4/08)
Raising the bar: How parents can fix education (What a simple idea we all should embrace, 9/3/08)
Follow the money: An alternate route to better teaching Performance not credential (8/29/08)
Why schools are failing to improve teacher quality (8/29/08)
Teacher bonus shock Merit Pay Prevails (8/29/08)
Katonah-Lewisboro's adds time for language studies (8/29/08)
$13 million instead of an apple (8/28/08)
Column: Dads step up to show value of education (8/28/08)
Class of 2008 matches ’07 on the SAT SAT scores decline slightly in New York (8/27/08)
Editorial: Why do unions oppose more pay for good teachers? (8/26/08)
Kindergarteners start off learning two languages (8/26/08)
School's test scores reported incorrectly (8/26/08)
Intel chair calls for ed reform, STEM innovation (8/26/08)
Mystery Emerges on Where Obama Stands in the Education Wars (8/22/08)
How McCain, Obama differ on education (8/18/08)
Editorial: Statewide graduation rates aren't the whole story
(8/14/08)
Students learn hard lessons in school budgets (8/14/08)
Teachers' union fights elimination of deans (8/14/08)
Teachers get schooled on technology (8/12/08)
College Board to debut an 8th grade PSAT exam (8/8/08)
Kids today? They're not that different from kids of yesterday (7/24/08) Over 30 years, the cost of K-12 is many times more but yield no better!
Column: Ignorance is bliss on the state Regents history exam
(7/23/08)
New York law makes it easier to fire teachers convicted of sex crimes (7/23/08)
Ithaca board rejects reorganization (7/23/08)
Report: U.S. behind in doubling science grads (7/22/08)
Editorial: Investigate students' preview of test questions (7/22/08)
Bill bets prizes would get kids to pass tests (7/22/08)
Savage Won't Apologize, Defends Autism Comments (7/21/08)
Report: Number of teachers denied tenure has doubled under new system (7/21/08)
Teachers to learn signs of suicide (7/21/08)
Push to double U.S. science grads is lagging(7/18/08)
Reading, math scores rise sharply across New York (6/24/08)
English, math test scores up across state (6/24/08)
School boards get lesson on new pension fraud measure (6/24/08)
Massachusetts governor plans new kind of public school (6/17/08)
High school recognized as School of Distinction (6/17/08)
Voucher proposal passes in Senate (6/13/08 Louisana)
Bush loyalist fights to save ‘No Child’ law (6/12/08)
McCain, Obama reps discuss education (6/6/08)
Genders split up at more schools (6/6/08)
State's graduation criteria called 'wave of the future' (6/3/08)
Whitesboro school board to interview superintendent candidates in private (6/3/08)
More school districts look to hire teachers of Chinese (6/1/08)
State asks to review contracts from some school district superintendents (5/29/08)
State task force works on standardized teacher evaluations (5/28/08)
Cuomo, legislators seek to cut abuse of state's retirement systems (5/23/08)
Newly seated Port school board to 'listen to the people' (5/23/08)
Journal News on School Board Candidates (5/19/08)
High school grad who can't read diploma is suing school district
(5/17/08)
Are gifted students getting left out? (5/15/08)
Middle school warns parents about energy drinks (5/15/08)
Virtual schools see strong growth, calls for more oversight (5/15/08)
Evolution's critics shift tactics with schools (5/5/08)
Tech Gizmos Increasingly Target Toddlers (5/5/08)
Study: Creativity is important but neglected (5/2/08)
Bus Accident and Safety Issue (4/30/08)
Bus contractors asking city schools to cut out field trips because of fuel costs (4/28/08)
David Rockefeller pledges 100 million dollars to Harvard (4/25/08)
Catholic school enrollment falls 20 percent (4/25/08)
Education secretary offers changes to ‘No Child’ law (4/23/08)
Court approves city schools cellphone ban (4/23/08)
Putnam, northern Westchester school board candidates (4/22/08)
AT&T launches $100M effort to stem dropouts (4/21/08)
Students want more use of gaming technology (4/21/08)
Videotaped beating sparks national outrage (4/21/08)
Somers makes cuts to get $77.2 million school budget (4/20/08)
Chappaqua budget adds technology, Chinese studies (4/20/08)
Wick's Law restraints to be eased
(4/11/08)
Teacher tenure plan's 'just an outrage,' fumes Bloomberg (4/7/08)
U.S. students achieve mixed results on writing test (4/4/08)
Students' writing scores show marked improvement (4/4/08)
Op-Ed: Parents must unite to demand better school choices (4/3/08)
State troopers will stay in schools
(4/3/08)
Editorial: Standard on tenure would help students (3/28/08)
PCB Issue in School (3/28/08)
State attempt to lessen role of school districts in tenure stirs debate
(3/27/08)
Several Westchester schools and districts fall short of targets on state tests (3/26/08)
Editorial: Something out of whack with superintendent salaries (3/25/08)
In response to critical audit, Hamburg school board president resigns
(3/19/08)
Tonawanda school board considers cutting 22 positions to hold down property tax increase (3/19/08)
Bill would bar linking test scores to teacher tenure (3/18/08)
Passing eighth grade in New York just became a little harder (3/18/08)
Senate looks to establish a state 'Teachers Day' (3/18/08)
Report urges changes in teaching math (3/17/08)
State puts Web-only schools on short cord (3/17/08 Oregon)
Program will pay AP students $100 to pass (3/13/08)
Westchester Superintendents' Salary (sent by reader)
Lawmaker wants scent-free schools (3/12/08)
Two Long Island students place in top 10 at Intel contest (3/12/08)
Many Texas school districts reject merit pay for teachers (3/12/08)
Lawmaker proposes school crisis plan (3/6/08)
Poughkeepsie school budget retains staff, adds learning opportunities
(2/28/08)
Port Jervis school district proposes 4 percent tax hike (2/28/08)
Cost of special education highlighted
Experts Investigate Fatal Minnesota School Bus Crash (2/22/08)
Poll: Residents would rather higher taxes than cuts to education (2/21/08)
Mahopac school trustee quits after arrest (2/21/08)
More schools involved in lawyer, pension scandal (2/21/08)
Monroe-Woodbury school board votes to fire deputy school superintendent (2/21/08)
Students in N.Y. acing AP exams
(2/19/08)
Yorktown principal suspended, causing controversy (2/19/08)
Experts debate the definition of critical thinking (2/18/08)
New York tops AP Exam ranks (2/14/08)
How to make great teachers (Time Magazine)(2/13/08)
Mahopac voters OK spending $5.8M on school upgrades (2/13/08)
Greece school board's oversight questioned (2/10/08)
How much does your school district pay its superintendent? (2/10/08) Links to published contracts
Six city schools designated by the state as failing (2/7/08)
Mixed results for New Jersey students on statewide tests (2/7/08)
New York once again the leader in Intel Science contest (1/31/08)
 Byram Hills senior named Intel finalist (1/31/08)
Editorial: Problem isn't assessments, it's the cost of education (1/22/08)
Part Three: Economy, quality drive school budgets (1/15-22/08)
Schools pay price for giving kids more time to graduate (1/22/08)
Eight better buys for your school tax dollars (1/16/08)
Somers: Close community helps forge trust (1/16/08)(One of the Eight Better Buys)
New York tops nation in annual education report (1/11/08)
Losing an edge, Japanese envy India’s schools (1/08)
Simple school resolutions for a great 2008
Success stories: Celebrating progess in public education. (9/28/07)
Voters approve a record 95.5 percent of school budgets. (5/16/07)
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

School Tax Related


3rd School Property Tax Reform Forum, June 5, 7PM, Locatio845--5301 Ifay Chang's Proxy Statement
School Property Tax Reform Forum Feb 2, 2008 (Organized by Assemblyman Greg Ball, Dr. Ifay Chang's Charts)
School Property Tax Reform Forum (Oct 20, 07) Notes
Web Site Created As Forum for School Tax Issues (Ifay Chang, presented at October 20, 2007, School Tax Reform forum)
State hearings to study school taxes
(9/4/08)
School boards worried about economic downturn (8/28/08)
Teachers union withholds support from 38 senators over property tax cap (8/14/08)
Senate OKs property tax cap (38:20 vote, 8/12/08)
Editorial: Property tax cap 101 (8/8/08)
Suozzi pushes for cap on property tax increases (7/25/08)
Op-Ed: Circuit breaker the best way to limit property tax impact (7/22/08)
School boards: Tax cap must come with mandate relief (7/22/08)
Op-Ed: Tax cap pressures government, not residents, to perform (7/22/08)
Governor, GOP closer on deal to cap school taxes (6/22/08)
Republicans deciding whether to support Paterson's tax cap proposal (6/21/08)
Public wants cap on school taxes (6/17/08)
Column: Gov's tax cap puts Bruno in a box
(6/17/08)
Schools that incorporate 'green' technology in construction might receive federal money
(6/17/08)
NY Senate Democratic leader seeks property tax cap (6/13/08)
Bruno blasts Paterson's proposed school tax cap (6/13/08)
Letter: Lawmakers ignoring voters' desire for a tax cap (6/12/08)
Panel urges 4 percent tax cap on property in New York (6/3/08)
State report calls for capping school-tax hikes at 4 percent (6/3/08)
School tax remedies met with mixed reactions (6/3/08)
New York's property tax rebates largely unmonitored (6/3/08)
Questions and answers from the New Yorker trying to cut your taxes (5/28/08)
Silver nixes tax circuit-breaker idea(5/28/08)
Op-Ed: Tax relief: Property taxes can be reined in without hurting schools (5/23/08)
Report: New York shouldn't look to Massachusetts as a model for property tax reform (5/23/08)
Op-Ed: Builders and contractors group calls for Wicks Law reform (5/23/08)
State Aid Information per school (5/19/08)
State panel moving to cap increases in property taxes (5/15/08)
Property tax cap in doubt (4/28/08)
New York school unions lobby against property tax cap (4/28/08)
Plan to cap school taxes based on income praised
(4/25/08)
Briarcliff school officials say $52.9 million budget is tight (4/25/08)
Paterson to reconsider property tax rebates
(4/22/08)
STAR tax rebates may see changes (4/22/08)
County Legislature supports state proposal to cap school district levies (4/17/08)
Op-Ed: Property tax reform is your big chance, Mr. Suozzi (Mr. Marlin's article, 4/15/08 Also Readers' Comments)
 T8EV8K9OI9F6FUJMN#lastPost (Reader comments on Mr. Marlin's article, 4/17/08)
Public schools spent an average of $9,138 per student in 2006 (4/4/08)
No Wicks Law reform just yet (4/4/08)
No school budget cuts for first time in 20 years
(3/27/08)
Kingston school budget levy hike 3.8 percent (3/27/08)
School board holds the line on taxes (3/27/08)
Greece budget drops by $1 million (3/27/08)
Lansing cuts $1.3M from school budget
(3/26/08)
Suozzi's school-streamlining plan gains support
(3/19/08)
Florida commission proposes replacing property tax with sales tax increase (3/19/08 Florida)
Property-tax reforms make homeowners big winners (3/18/08 Indiana)
Op-Ed: Tax cap would harm schoolkids (3/18/08)
Op-Ed: Tim Kremer: There's a simple fix for high property taxes  (3/3/08)
Regional meetings held on curbing property taxes
(3/3/08)
Court hears schools' appeal on county tax plan
(2/29/08)
Illinois state Senate tries again for 'tax swap' to raise income taxes (2/29/08)
Property taxes in New York among the highest in the nation (2/25/08)
Editorial: Shrinking enrollment and higher school taxes don't add up (2/25/08)
Letter: Link property tax relief to income (%income=Property tax) (2/19/08)
Rockland school board association armed with hard data asks for more state aid (2/19/08)
School tax scofflaws get rebates, too (2/17/08)
New York State Tax Payer Protection Act, Legislative Bill (2/16/08) Important Bill with details.
Op-Ed: Property tax cap would exact high toll on schools(2/13/08)
New kind of property tax cap suggested (Feb 12, 08)
Property tax caps would limit educational investment (Feb 12, 08)
School budget holds line on taxes (2/7/08)
Editorial: Watch those state mandates (2/7/08)
NYC education officials under orders to cut $180 million (2/7/08)
State lawmakers plan to link property tax breaks to income (2/5/08)
Lawmakers seek to tweak property-tax relief program (2/5/08)
Florida legislators propose property tax reform (2/1/2008)
Why jeopardize New York's progress in public education with arbitrary tax caps? (NYSUT 1/31/08)
Pa. legislature rejects elimination of property taxes (Associated Press) (1/31/08)
School property tax reform proposed by Utah legislature  (Deseret Morning News 1/31/08))
Executive Budget: Addressing local property taxes (1/23/08)
Executive Budget: School aid tied to accountability (1/23/08)
Spitzer to urge smaller hike of school-tax rebate (1/23/08)
Analysis of the 2008 Executive Budget Proposal (1/22-08)
Spitzer budget would curb property tax rebates (1/22/08)
Spitzer budget raises spending, aid to schools
Taxpayers gain courage to say 'no' (1/15/08)
School officials question Spitzer's tax cap plan (1/15/08)
Report: The problems with property tax revenue caps (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)(1/15/08)
Assemblyman: We need property tax cap and we need it now (Legislative Gazette)(1/15/08)
Our Schools Our Money (1/13-17/08)
Editorial: Property tax cap has worked wonders elsewhere (1/11/08)
Senate Republicans offer to triple STAR rebate, end school property taxes (1/4/08)
Schools oppose mandated use of money (1/08)
Poughkeepsie Journal report on Tax Reduction Conference (1/24/07)
The Problems with Property Tax Revenue Caps (Center on Budget and Policy Priority, 6/21/07)

Ifay Chang for Education
 

Congratulations to Missy Vece and Cheryl Smith re-election to the Somers School Board
Federal Resources for Education - Lesson Plans on Various Subjects
Response to The Questions from The Journal News about School Board Election(4/07)
School Board Statements (IFC)(4/07)
Press Release
Public Forum Related to School Board
Word Puzzles for SIS Students (After School Word Games geared for National School Scrabble Competition See below and  call SIS office)
Supplemental Teaching Material Prepared for SIS 4th Grade Science
Community Education - Scrammble Word Game Tournament and TV Show
Bio's
Publications
Short story - Blue Golf Ball for Christmas
Short story - Outopians
Teaching Web Site for Northern Westchester Chinese Language School
Ifay Chang's Work at TLC Information Services and Its Public Web Sites
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A free volunteer afterschool program for developing children's learning habits through game playing will be offered at the Somers Intermediate School this coming Fall (2008). The focus will be introducing SIS students the Award-Winning National School Scrabble Annual Tournament for 5-8th graders. Children will be encouraged to play Scrabble and develop vocabulary learning skills (which are also critical in winning Scrabble Games and  Tournaments). The children-oriented Scrammble Tic-tac-toe, Scrammble Go-Fish, Scrammble Mastermind and Scrammble Word games invented by Somers Resident Dr. Wordman will be used to help children develop vocabulary learning and spelling skills. Starting from 3-5th grade, children can develop a life-long critical learning skill through these games,  which also can help them win the National School Scrabble Tournament if they wanted to participate when they reach 5-8th grade. In Middle school they can continue to form a NSS club to continue the games. (8/28/08)
-------------------------------------------- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2005 and 2006, five New Jersey teenagers were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in prom and graduation season; in Connecticut, one teenager was killed in 2006, down from two in 2005. The Century Council in Washington said that in 2006, 714 youths under 21 died nationally in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in April, May and June.
-------------------------------------------- Advanced Placement, Computer- based teaching and learning, encouraging kids to learn in different and more effective ways...Harvard professors' article resonates with Ifay Chang's views while he was developing I-CARE (Internet Cyberspace Assisted Responsive Education). There are issues, however, one most critical is how to motivate teachers to embrace computer and technologies so they can motivate their students to learn more and better. This is an Issue NY State Teacher Centers ought to focus on in close collaboration with school districts. 
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Is it a joke or truth? The secret of Bernanke’s success: School board service (8/18/08)