GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

• A national labor board ruled that city school bus drivers can strike against their companies. (SchoolBook)
• A striking bus driver offers his view on the strike and a detailed job description. (World Socialist Web)
• The UFT reports that teacher attrition is rising again after falling during the recession. (NY Teacher)
• There are signs that ed-tech is becoming a bubble, but not very many that it boosts learning. (Take Part)
• On the first day of Black History Month, a city teacher argues for All Histories Months. (Jose Vilson)
• In a 1988 letter to the editor, ex-Mayor Ed Koch, who died today, listed his education successes. (Times)
• A student who brought a butcher knife to his Brooklyn middle school wasn’t suspended for a week. (FOX)
• New York escaped sanction, but other states’ Race to the Top progress is under scrutiny. (Politics K-12)
• U.S. Ed Sec Arne Duncan said a top goal is expanding access to early-childhood education. (HuffPo)

Because of the bus strike, 11-year-old Alejandro and his mom, Maria Uruchima, take three buses to get to school.

One month into 2013, Maria Uruchima has already used up almost all of her sick and personal days getting her son to school.

On the verge of pulling him out of school, she found a partial solution to scheduling nightmare created by the bus strike — but one that still leaves her missing work and commuting almost four hours each day.

“I’ve started writing letters to the chancellor and the mayor saying, this is my situation,” Uruchima said. “I’m one of those parents that’s really struggling. I can’t afford to keep my son home because you guys aren’t getting it together. What can I do to help move this process along?” (more…)

Chancellor Dennis Walcott spoke to members of the Boys and Girls High School track and field team at City Hall last year.

After Boys and Girls High School imposed tougher academic requirements for student-athletes in 2011, its perennially winning mens basketball team benched seven playersand exited the state tournament in the first round.

Now, the city is imposing academic and attendance standards for the 40,000 students who play school sports that are even more stringent than Boys and Girls’.

The Department of Education is officially alerting schools about the changes this week. But coaches, principals and athletic directors say they’ve known for months and are beginning to prepare for the tougher eligibility requirements, which could hobble many teams.

The changes follow new standards set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2011 and are meant to address lagging academic performance among many of the city’s marquee athletes, coaches say.

“There was a growing concern about the way we do business,” said Wings Academy Principal Wayne Cox, referring to the previous standards. “The new policies are saying you guys have gotten away with s— for a very long time.” (more…)

• The feds are okay with New York State’s Race to the Top work, but they’re watching. (WSJ, Daily News)
• Mayor Bloomberg didn’t bash the UFT on Thursday, signaling that teacher eval talks are ongoing. (Post)
• Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said she would really like the city to reach a deal on its own. (NY1)
• Movement for a pause on co-locations has the charter sector worried, and divided. (GothamSchools)
• Democracy Prep charter schools will get an organization to help students after graduation. (Daily News)
• John Liu is the first mayoral hopeful to weigh on the Panel for Educational Policy. (GothamSchools)
• The school bus drivers union says the city, not the union, is behind rising bus costs. (NY1, Daily News)
• Politicians are renewing a perennial push to make Lunar New Year a possible school holiday. (DNAInfo)