Last week's budget arguments continue to expand; this afternoon, the Alliance for Quality Educationwill protest the proposed $428 million cut, starting at 4 pm, at Stuyvesant High School. If you're stuck at work, write your City Council representative. If you attend, let us know what you see and hear.

Meanwhile, public hearings will start later this week on 2008-09 Council For Excellence funds, the direction of which seem very much in question, given Klein's desire to redirect C4E dollars to equalize budget cuts across the city's schools. (See preliminary budget information here.) C4E moneys are legally mandated to target specific, high-need schools and high-need students, in six program areas -- "class size reduction, time on task, teacher and principal quality initiatives, middle school and high school restructuring, full-day pre-Kindergarten, and model programs for English Language Learners" -- a mandate that would be altered if Klein's plan goes forward.

Public hearings will take place in Staten Island at New Dorp High Schoolon June 5th; at IS 230in Queens on the 10th; in the Bronx on the 11th, at DeWitt Clinton High School; in Brooklyn on the 12th, at Boys and Girls High School; and finally, Monday the 16th, in Manhattan, at Fashion Industries High School. The DOE also invites public comment at ContractsForExcellence@schools.nyc.gov. Let the powers that be hear from you.