Gun policy spat highlights the fragility of regional collaboration

April 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

REGION | A few days ago, we reported that some local leaders were threatening to suspend their participation in the Council of Governments over the organization’s endorsement of a gun control paper from the International Association of Chiefs of Police. COG’s board has since retracted the endorsement, and a conversation has ensued about what issues are appropriate for the forum of local officials to tackle.

There are some poignant quotes in the article above about both the urgency and nature of the issue, particularly from Prince George’s County Council member Karen Toles and Greenbelt Mayor Judith Davis. But the Post’s Robert McCartney looks at the controversy from a different perspective – what this squabble shows us about regional collaboration. In particular, he suggests that this was a straw man from the start (WaPo, 4/11):

Just when the Washington area would be smart to set aside its internal differences and cooperate, local leaders have been going out of their way to undermine what little solidarity exists.

The most egregious example of regional self-sabotage began last month when a group of elected officials misused the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to try to score a purely symbolic point favoring gun control.

McCartney is on point about the importance of solidarity.

Related: Here’s the controversial position paper from the police chiefs. It calls for crazy things like a public ban on armor piercing ammunition – you know, bullets that were designed for war?

NONPROFITS | President Obama’s renewed push to limit the charitable deduction has been a highlight of his FY14 budget in our community, but the Chronicle points out that his budget also calls for increased funding for nonprofits in education and health care. (Chronicle, 4/11)

EDUCATION | Fairfax County has named Karen Garza as the new school superintendent. She’ll replace Jack Dale in the summer. (WaPo, 4/11)

HOUSING | Will Alexandria Lose Affordable Housing At Hunting Towers? (WAMU, 4/11) “Hundreds of residents of a low-income apartment complex in Alexandria, Va., are worried about the future.”

GIVING | The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation gave Fight for Children $100,000 to support Joe’s Champs, a new early childhood program in the District. (FFC, 4/11)

HEALTH | WRAG’s Health Working Group has been focused on supporting local implementation of the health care reform. The National Health Law Program is hosting a webinar on the subject – Health Reform: An Overview. [Details and registration.]

Related: D.C. Council will get insurance exchange legislation next (WBJ, 4/11)

You might remember Quidditch as the broomstick-centric sport from Harry Potter. Using only good timing and a camera, internet users have created some pretty hilarious pictures of people playing the game.

Rebekah has the Daily tomorrow, so I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

- Christian

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Obama’s budget calls (again) for a charitable deduction limit

April 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PHILANTHROPY | President Obama is expected to again propose a cap for charitable deductions when he releases his budget tomorrow. The president is still aiming for a 28 percent cap, which is the number he has been proposing since 2009. At a briefing, Press Secretary Jay Carney addressed the issue:

When asked how Mr. Obama would overcome opposition from both parties due to worries about the impact on charities, Mr. Carney said the president was confident he could forge a compromise with a “common-sense caucus,” according to a transcript of the briefing.

We’ll leave aside the fact that “common-sense” and “compromise” are effectively foreign language terms for our government these days. But the White House’s continuing defense that the limits would only affect the wealthy still misses the point of philanthropy. As the Charitable Giving Coalition correctly points out (Chronicle, 4/9):

The charitable deduction is different than other itemized deductions in that it encourages individuals to give away a portion of their income to those in need…It is not a tax cut for the wealthy.

Check out the infographic above from the Charitable Giving Coalition. It gives a few reasons why the charitable deduction cap isn’t such a hot idea.

MENTAL HEALTH | The president’s budget will also include $235 million in new spending for mental health. (WaPo, 4/9)

HOUSING
- Due to sequestration, up to 150 families in Fairfax County are having their Section 8 housing vouchers suspended. The cuts are forcing local nonprofits to scramble to help the people affected. (Patch, 4/9) Rebekah originally posted about this Friday, but the situation appears to be more dire now.

- Federal law requires agencies to make vacant and underused properties available for homeless services, but a judge has ruled that many agencies have been effectively hiding such properties. Legal advocates believe that the judge’s ruling “will result in potentially thousands of properties” for homeless services. (WaPo, 4/8)

HOMELESSNESS | Fairfax County’s Homeless Population Declines 12 Percent: Emphasis on rapid re-housing, prevention keys to success. (Connection, 4/1)

EDUCATION | Mayor Gray’s schools budget for next year increases spending per pupil, but many schools are actually going to have their budgets cut because enrollment numbers are lower than originally projected. The cuts are likely to be in the $14-25 million range in total.

Council Member David Catania, who heads the education committee, has strong words on the subject: “If and when we are serious about stabilizing DCPS, we need a plan…And that plan is not this budget.” (WaPo, 4/9)

- What happens to school buildings after they close? The Atlantic investigates. (Atlantic, 4/9)

AGING | A new study finds that social isolation increases the likelihood of death by 26 percent. As Ezra Klein puts it, “Too much time without human contact can kill you.” (WaPo, 4/9)

Related: NPR’s Talk of the Nation did a show on this research with one of the report’s authors. Listen here.

ARTS | Here are the winners of the 2013 Helen Hayes Awards. (WaPo, 4/9)

Good news/bad news for space lovers. The bad news is that NASA isn’t going back to the moon, which squashes my dreams of watching a moon landing live in high definition. The good news is that the agency apparently employs lunatics (ha!) who are planning to trap an asteroid in a giant container and then land astronauts on it. What could possibly go wrong?

Also, I knew my musical feelings would change with the temperature! Today’s weather put me in a UB40 mood. How about you? What’s your favorite warm weather music?

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A look at the District’s proposed FY14 budget

March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BUDGETS | Mayor Gray presented his 2014 budget to the D.C. Council this morning. Greater Greater Washington has a helpful breakdown by issue area. Highlights include $103 million to renovate the MLK Library, $50 million for parks, money for streetcars, and details on how the $100 million investment into affordable housing will be spent (GGW, 3/28):

Affordable housing: As promised, the administration is putting a one-time $100 million into affordable housing. $86.9 million goes into the Housing Production Trust Fund, ($20M in FY 2014 and the rest in FY 2013). The rest, $13.1 million, goes to other smaller initiatives that the recent Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force recommended. He is also promising to keep the 15% of the Deed Recordation and Transfer Tax, which is supposed to go to the HPTF, in there; previous budgets raided that to fund other programs.

The Post’s coverage includes details on the $15 million One City Fund (WaPo, 3/28):

[It will] support nonprofits that previously directly lobbied D.C. Council members for funding. The program, the officials said, will be administered by The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, which will competitively bid and monitor grants of up to $100,000.

And here’s a look at the budget’s education allocations, including building modernizations, libraries, and special education. (GGE, 3/28)

You can read the full budget here.

EDUCATION | D.C. school facilities plan considers charters for the first time (WaPo, 3/28)

HOUSING | This does not bode well as we focus on affordable housing, but our region has been named the least affordable market in the country. (WBJ, 3/27)

ARTS | Do you know about the Artisphere? It’s an expansive space in Rosslyn with galleries, studios, performance venues, and a big ballroom – and it is publicly funded. But Arlington County is considering significantly reducing the budget because not enough people visit the place. (WAMU, 3/27)

I went to a concert there recently and was blown away by how cool the place is. That said, I’d never even heard of it until I got an email from the band. So if they have a foot traffic problem, marketing might be a good place to invest.

HEALTH | The national average time that patients spend in waiting rooms is 20 minutes and 15 seconds. WAMU reports that our region is worse off, but we’re really pretty close to average. Virginia is 20:36, D.C. is 20:38, and Maryland is 21:15. (WAMU, 3/28)

GIVING
- Here are some lessons learned from #GivingTuesday, the post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday digital charity event that launched last year. (HBR, 3/25)

- Online Giving Totals Rise by 21%, Study Finds (Chronicle, 3/28) I’m getting tired of writing that a study has “found” something. The people who conducted the study are the ones who found the information!

This has been around since November, but it has only now come to my attention – what the Beach Boys would sound like without studio post-production. I snorted from laughing so hard.

On a more serious note, a lot of religious people around the world spend this week thinking about the cycle of life and death. Actor/comedian Dax Shepherd recently wrote a reflection on his father’s fight with cancer and its juxtaposition with his wife’s pregnancy. It’s a little irreverent and does contain some profanity, but it’s also deeply moving and timely. Here’s an article about it, with a link to the original post.

Rebekah has the Daily tomorrow and Monday. Hope you all enjoy the weekend! – Chrsitian

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Special WaPo report on youth…Education news from across the region…Local population boom slowing

March 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

CHILDREN/FAMILIES | The Washington Post has a special section today on children and families. Here’s the editorial frame:

About 75 million Americans are under the age of 18, and more than 16 million of these kids live in poverty. Many sit in bright classrooms where they are taught by excellent teachers and go home to parents who shower them with every advantage. But far too many kids are stuck. They are trapped in drab schools of little learning and in troubled neighborhoods filled with jobless adults. These young people — and their difficulty in finding a path to a better future — are a growing national concern.

The full section of articles, opinions, and videos is located here. Highlights include:

- Opinion: Three simple rules poor teens should follow to join the middle class by the Brookings Institution’s Ron Haskins

- Opinion: Give low-income families the support they need to help kids succeed by Jared Bernstein from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

- After 20 years, some want more from Family and Medical Leave Act

- Policymakers, business leaders say preschool can pay big dividends

EDUCATION
- Prince George’s County has narrowed its schools superintendent candidate list to three – current interim superintendent Alvin Crawley, Durham superintendent Eric Becoats, and Chicago schools chief Harrison Peters. The Post profiles all three candidates and says that the stakes are very high (WaPo, 3/14):

The superintendent will step into a struggling system that is working to implement Common Core standards, reform its teacher-evaluation process and improve student achievement.

It is also a pivotal moment for Prince George’s County at large, as parents, elected officials and civic and business leaders have pinned much of the county’s future on the turnaround of its schools.

- Some District parents are concerned that some schools’ budgets will cause cuts to key staff and services while lower-priority positions get new funding. (WaPo, 3/14)

- As Montgomery Council considers budget, questions about “crown jewel” schools (WaPo, 3/14) I don’t think England would be very happy about us trying to pay for our schools with their jewels.

- In Montgomery schools, achievement gap widens in some areas, drawing criticism (WaPo, 3/13)

- Are early education (pre-K) efforts in the District working? (GGE, 3/13)

SEQUESTRATION | Here’s a brief look at some of the proposed tax hikes and service cuts that local jurisdictions are considering to deal with sequestration. George Mason University professor Frank Shafroth says of local officials (WAMU, 3/14):

The last decade, I think they saw everything growing…Now I think they are with Rod Serling in the Twilight Zone.

“It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition…and sequestration…and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.”

DEMOGRAPHICS
- Unfortunately we’re not dealing with imaginations here, and the Post reports that our region’s population growth rate is slowing down after years of “explosive” increases. (WaPo, 3/14)

- D.C. population swells, immigrants flock to suburbs (Examiner, 3/14)

COMMUNITY | Here’s a great look at Capital One’s method of aligning corporate social responsibility goals with its full body of work. (CSRwire, 3/13)

NONPROFITS | C.Fox Communications is accepting applications for its fourth annual inspired thought Award. The it Award is worth up to $20,000 of pro bono public relations services for nonprofit award winners. [More info.]

PHILANTHROPY | Providence has been announced as the winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge for innovation in early childhood education. Read more about it and the five other winners. (Atlantic, 3/14)

DAILY | Tomorrow, Friday the 15th, the Daily WRAG will be offline for maintenance. When it returns, your minds will drift to thoughts of an ugly caterpillar that entered a pupa and emerged a beautiful butterfly.

Happy Pi Day, everyone! Here are some ways you can celebrate. I’ll be eating pie today, 3/14, at 1:59 and 26.54 seconds.

And an early Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s my favorite song from the Irish band Flogging Molly – Rebels of the Sacred Heart.

See you Monday!

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Student proficiency rates diverge between charter and traditional public schools [News, 3.13.13]

March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

EDUCATION | The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute has a new report that analyzes DC CAS test scores for trends. The key findings include (DCFPI, 3/13):

- The median proficiency level among all publicly funded DC schools fell slightly from 2008 to 2012.

- The typical public charter school showed improvement in proficiency, while the typical DCPS school declined.

- The typical DC schools east of the Anacostia River and in Ward 4 saw proficiency declines.

Related: Median D.C. charter school outperforms median traditional, study finds (WaPo, 3/13)

HOUSING | Yesterday’s recommendations from the District’s Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force have taken some flack for being too vague. Following the release, the D.C. Fair Budget Coalition made its own specific recommendations for the $100 million housing investment. (City Paper, 3/13)

DEMOGRAPHICS | As Montgomery County tries to attract Millennials through development efforts, GGW takes a look at where the county’s young adults currently live. The implications of the identified trends extend across borders (GGW, 3/13):

These maps have implications not just for Montgomery County, but the whole region. They show that the District and Arlington aren’t the only places that can attract Millennials, so long as they can be near neighborhoods near transit, shopping and jobs. While many young families are choosing to live farther out, they’re still seeking a semi-urban experience.

PHILANTHROPY | Andres Spokoiny, CEO of the Jewish Funders Network, drafted his Ten Commandments of Smart Philanthropy. (TJW, 3/12)

HEALTH | Why’d your doctor move offices? It could be Obamacare. (WaPo, 3/13) Or the office might have been haunted. Didn’t think of that, did you, Washington Post? I’ll take my Pulitzer now, please.

DAILY | Apologies to email subscribers who have been getting the Daily at 3:00pm for the last two days. Feedburner is indeed set to deliver at 1:00pm, so it is either confused by daylight savings or it’s in a state of sentient rebellion.

Hopefully it starts behaving, but the good news is that we are currently testing a fancy new delivery system that will completely blow your minds (because it will deliver on time). More on that soon.

I was going to say that hell must have frozen over considering my following recommendation, but then I remembered that Dante’s hell was ice cold at its center anyway. So I’ll say that hell must be lukewarm because I’m going to recommend…a Justin Timberlake song! Yes, I know that he has a ton of fans. I’ve never been one of them.

But the SNL performance of his new track Mirrors was phenomenal. I can’t stop listening. He sounds great and his band absolutely nails the music.

Back to Dante – this interactive site is a really cool way to explore the Divine Comedy. Arrivederci until tomorrow!

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Coalition calls for $100 million in investments to reduce D.C. poverty…Life expectancy tied to wealth…Affordable Care Act aiming for the wrong goal? [News, 3.11.13]

March 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BUDGETS | At an event co-sponsored by five D.C. Council members, the D.C. Fair Budget Coalition called for the FY14 budget, due to be released soon, to include $100 million in investments designed to reduce poverty. The coalition’s proposal includes money for affordable housing, homeless shelters, and workforce development. (WaPo, 3/11)

HOUSING | The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development has five recommendations for how Mayor Gray should spend the $100 million (unrelated to the above) he has promised for affordable housing. (CNHED, 3/8)

Related: Here’s why housing is everyone’s issue. Even yours! And mine! And ours! (Daily, 3/7) But not Henry Fonda’s or Lucille Ball’s, because they aren’t around anymore, unfortunately.

Related: Next week, former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros will talk about the importance of housing as part of WRAG’s Brightest Minds series. Register here!

EQUITY | Not surprisingly, researchers have found that life expectancy is tied to economic security. A study of two Florida counties – one affluent and one not – shows that the life expectancy gap between the two is increasing at a rapid pace. Our own region mirrors the study (WaPo, 3/11):

In Montgomery County, life expectancy was 81.4 years for men and 85 years for women in 2009. In Fairfax County, it was slightly lower — 81.3 years for men and 84.1 years for women.

In the District, where 18.7 percent of the population lives in poverty, life expectancy was 72.6 years for men and 79.6 for women in 2009.

YOUTH | Over the weekend, the D.C. Superior Court held mock trials to teach high schoolers from around the region about the court system. (WAMU, 3/11) I wonder if Judge Reinhold was there?

HEALTH | Opinion: According to Dr. Andrew Weil, the Affordable Care Act sought to answer a question – “How can more Americans get access to medical care?” Wrong question, he says, because our health care system is broken as it focuses on treating sickness instead of promoting health. What’s the right question? (CNN, 3/10):

How can we improve medical care so that it’s worth extending it to more people? In other words, how can we create a health care system that helps people become and stay healthy?

This is a really interesting read. Not coincidentally, it’s also a teaser for a CNN documentary that seems like it might be worth watching.

EDUCATION
- School lottery demand shows sharp east-west divide (GGE, 3/8)

- McDonnell achieves mixed results in trying to reform Virginia’s schools (WaPo, 3/11)

Writing about budgets and such reminds me of the scene in Austin Powers where Dr. Evil tries to hold the world ransom for $100 billion. In 1997, that amount was a tool of absurdist humor. Today, it’s not much more than a drop in the bucket when talking about things like sequestration. How the world has changed. Or not changed, considering the similarly reckless behavior of that chubby goon Kim Jong Un.

On another subject, here’s a really innovative PR tactic that a German company used to drum up awareness of homelessness. Has anything like this been done locally?

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Why housing is everyone’s issue

March 7, 2013 By 2 Comments

By Gretchen Greiner-Lott
Vice President
Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers

Why should you care about housing? Well, during yesterday’s snow event, I had some time to think about that a bit. Although we were all stuck at home together, my family and I still had light, heat, and shelter from the elements, as well as access to stores. But some people I know were not that lucky. It made me think about all the things that many of us take for granted that are essential to a strong, healthy, and connected community.

Because I have lived in my neighborhood for some years, I know my neighbors. I know who is sick or elderly and might need some help during the snow. I also know who might be able to assist me, if the need should arise. For those folks in our region whose housing situation is different – they move from place to place in search of a more affordable housing situation or the affordable situation they find lands them in a not so safe neighborhood – their community experiences are very different. They are not connected or supported.

“What does this have to do with me?” you might ask. Everything.

Whether you are a funder of health clinics, a nonprofit provider of educational programs, a growing business trying to attract new employees, or a local government working to spur economic growth and vitality, housing impacts everything you do to support your community. Without the basic starting point of having a safe and stable place to call home, many individuals will have a harder time achieving other life goals.

According to research from the National Housing Conference, low- and moderate-income people without decent, affordable housing are more likely to have negative health consequences and poor education outcomes for their children.  It is also harder for people to get to work and be reliable employees when their housing situation changes again and again – or for children to keep up with much less meet academic standards when they move from school to school.

Everything that this region wants to achieve – improvements in health status and educational outcomes, job growth, a strong economy, transportation and smart growth advancements, and more – depends on having a healthy continuum of housing that serves everyone from extremely low-income renters to moderate-income first-time home buyers so that folks can live in stable and supportive environments.

 On March 21st, we hope you’ll join us for WRAG’s first installment of this year’s Brightest Minds series. Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros will talk about how local funders, nonprofits, businesses, and governments can engage in a collective, multi-sector way to meet the housing needs of our region’s residents. For all the reasons list above, you can’t afford to miss it. [Registration.]
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As the clock ticks down, a look at how sequestration would deeply hurt our region’s governments [News, 2.20.13]

February 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SEQUESTRATION | If federal spending cuts happen on March 1, our region is in huge trouble. Local governments are struggling to plan their budgets with so much uncertainty about what is going to happen, but here’s a look at the potential chain reaction (WaPo, 2/20):

If the worst is realized and jobs disappear by the thousands, the flow of money through the local economy could be choked off, leading to more foreclosures, slower growth among businesses and less spending among households.

All of that would greatly affect local governments, where budgets are inextricably linked to the health of the economy.
…
States and localities hit hard by cuts could have their bond ratings lowered, making it more expensive to borrow money for capital projects.

What are the chances that the can gets kicked down the road a few more months, and we get to look forward to more fire and brimstone stories like this? If I had to guess, I’d say approximately 100%. How about you?

Related: President Obama and Congress are pointing fingers at each other about who will be to blame if the spending cuts are triggered. (WaPo, 2/20) Ooh, ooh, Mr. Kotter! I have the answer: Congress and President Obama! That was easy.

DATA | The Atlantic looks at the massive rise in government spending on low-income populations over the last 40 years and through the next ten. In 1972, spending was at $55 billion. Now it is $588 billion and in 2023 it will be $877 billion. Most of the increase is related to healthcare programs like Medicaid. (Atlantic, 2/20)

Obviously there are a lot of factors related to these numbers to consider. But here’s a question: are these spending increases helping, hurting, or doing nothing for their target populations? It’s the same sort of question Carlos Slim had about philanthropy.

GIVING | Last week, the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation announced more than $1.2 million in grants focused on empowering youth with disabilities. Foundation director Kevin Webb says:

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation is proud to be part of this national effort. By investing in innovative projects designed to empower youth with disabilities, they have more promising employment prospects as they transition to adulthood.

PERSPECTIVES | Earlier this month, Tamara challenged us to read an article from a publication outside of our routine and comfort zone. Have you taken her up on the challenge? You can read her column about shifting our perspective here: When was the last time you read Ebony Magazine? (Daily 2/6)

ENVIRONMENT | Today, D.C. Mayor Gray released a 20 year plan called Sustainable DC that has a very specific goal: “In just one generation – 20 years – the District of Columbia will be the healthiest, greenest, and most livable city in the United States.” Read the full plan here.

FOOD | What Food Desert Maps Get Wrong About How People Eat (Atlantic, 2/20)

EVENT | On March 13th, the Student Support Center will honor the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation at the 2013 Successful Students Campaign awards reception. More information and tickets are available here.

YOUTH | Six students in Prince George’s County have been murdered during this school year in unrelated crimes – two during this week alone. The county is starting a task force to address the violence. (WaPo, 2/20) In the meantime, how much progress has been made on reducing gun violence?

I usually don’t post anything from BuzzFeed because the site is mostly mindless garbage. However, after re-reading Tamara’s great piece on perspectives, I did enjoy this neat list of 28 visuals that might change yours. Give the page a few seconds to load so that the animations work. And click around that site at your own risk – brain cells are a a precious commodity. 

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Virginia’s closure of health centers for disabled draws concern…Most Americans aren’t preparing sufficiently for retirement…Gates and Slim compared [News, 2.19.13]

February 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Northern Virginia Training Center in Fairfax

 

HEALTH | Virginia is moving forward with plans to close four of its five training centers for developmentally disabled individuals. While state officials say that this is the best plan, some advocates and family members are deeply concerned that comparable services aren’t available outside of these centers. (WaPo, 2/18)

- The Obama administration is “quietly winding down” the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan that helps uninsured people who can’t get private insurance due to bad health. When the health law kicks in next year, insurance companies won’t be able to reject applicants with pre-existing conditions. This program’s termination leaves a gap in coverage until then. (WTOP, 2/19)

AGING | Here’s some alarming news for you. Thanks to the Great Recession, it is estimated that more than half of the nation’s workers age 30 and older are likely to be unprepared for retirement. This estimate has been confirmed by multiple think tanks and researchers across the political spectrum. What’s worse is that government policies designed to encourage saving favor the wealthy. (WaPo, 2/17)

PHILANTHROPY | The Seattle Times compares the philanthropic practices of the world’s two richest men, Brewster Bill Gates and Carlos Slim. While Gates has dedicated his wealth to improving the world in the tradition of “the Rockefellers, Fords, Mellons and Carnegies,” Slim has had a less optimistic perspective on philanthropy. He said (Seattle Times, 2/18):

“We have seen donations for 100 years…We have seen thousands of people working in nonprofits, and the problems and poverty are bigger. They have not solved anything.”

That’s a provocative opinion. What do you think? Is there a Slim possibility that he’s right? Sorry. Couldn’t resist. But seriously, does he have a valid point?

HOMELESSNESS | Editorial: The Post has strong words about the recent news that about 600 homeless children are crammed into D.C.’s main shelter (WaPo, 2/16):

It is simply not possible to look at the faces of children in the emergency shelter at the former D.C. General Hospital and not wonder why more isn’t being done. These young people should be in homes of their own, not in a crumbling hospital where it is difficult to go to school or become part of a real community.

- Related opinion: Colbert King’s column provides some useful historical context for the city’s efforts to combat homelessness. (WaPo, 2/16)

ARTS | Over the weekend, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities hosted a seminar for District teachers on go-go music’s heritage and how it can make a connection between school learning and students’ lives in the city. (WaPo, 2/17) What a perfect opportunity to listen to some Chuck Brown!

Hope you all enjoyed the long weekend (and I hope that all of you actually had a long weekend). One of our readers, Kathy Jankowski, sent me a link to artist Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests - PVC creatures that move with the wind. They are really cool, slightly creepy, and quite reminiscent of a Terry Gilliam movie.

Also, since we have been recently reminded of the threat of rocks attacking our planet, here’s a great infographic explaining the differences between types of space rocks.

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Montgomery County schools chief calls for a nationwide focus on implementing the Common Core Standards [News, 2.8.13]

February 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

EDUCATION | In an op-ed in the Washington Post today, Montgomery County public schools superintendent Joshua Starr explains the value of the Common Core Standards, and calls for school systems to back off standardized testing and teacher accountability reforms until curricula based on these standards are successfully implemented (WaPo, 2/8):

The Common Core State Standards should be our primary focus. But districts around the country are spending so much time implementing new accountability measures and other supposed reforms that they are not developing the system capacity to change teaching and learning in the classroom in ways that will enable our students to achieve Common Core’s promise. School districts are not investing in new curricula, assessments, professional development or data systems… A moratorium on standardized tests would give our school systems the ability to implement the Common Core with fidelity.

ARTS | The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has issued a call to artists seeking ideas for “a unique landmark that expresses the character, strength and vibrancy of the Parkside-Kenilworth neighborhood.” (ART202, 2/7)

HEALTH | Virginia lawmakers are moving forward with including the state in Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, contingent upon reforms to the program. If it ultimately passes, 300,000 Virginians would qualify for Medicaid coverage. (Examiner, 2/8)

HOUSING | The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute points out that Mayor Gray’s one-time commitment of $100 million to affordable housing production isn’t enough to reach his goal of 10,000 units. (DCFPI, 2/6)

GIVING | Because it’s Friday and a slow news day, here’s Stephen Colbert’s take on trendy new bars that donate their proceeds to charity (like D.C.’s Cause PhilanthroPub). (Colbert Report, 2/5) This weekend, remember: friends don’t let friends drink and donate.

Next week an asteroid will be flying past Earth with a margin of error of only 17,200 miles. In the grand scheme of the universe, that seems uncomfortably close to this. Sounds like a good reason to head to the bar, have a beer, and donate to a local nonprofit tonight!

-Rebekah

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