Saturday, April 11, 2009

The news that doesn’t fit from April 12th

THE MONEY MYTH IN IMPROVING SCHOOLS
Friday, April 10, 2009 5:09 PM
by Jay Mathews | Washington Post Education Columnist  April 10, 2009 — Hard battles lost long ago leave a mark. (The worst for me was the 1973 Super Bowl.) University of California at Berkeley professor W. Norton Grubb, for instance, still replays the 1971 Serrano v. Priest decision by the California Supreme Court. It threw out the state’s education financing system based on property taxes.


SCHOOLS URGED TO GET CREATIVE WITH STIMULUS DOUGH
Friday, April 10, 2009 4:56 PM
Education  By EMILY ALPERT | VOICE OF SAN DIEGO  Monday, April 6, 2009 | As money from the federal stimulus bill trickles out to schools in San Diego County, districts are being urged to devise new and innovative reforms -- a sticky prospect for schools that have been squarely focused on the dismal business of simply staying intact.     "If the money is used to plug in the holes, then once


THE OFFICIAL MAY 19th BALLOT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE PTA
Friday, April 10, 2009 4:41 PM
Measure 1A -- Support. This measure creates a rainy day fund, temporarily extends tax increases, and provides a funding mechanism for Proposition 1B, which will repay $9 billion to schools.    Measure 1B -- Support. This measure repays schools approximately $9 billion in Proposition 98 funding, beginning in 2011-12.    Measure 1C -- Support. This measure generates $5 billion in revenues


VILLARAIGOSA ENDORSES MAY19th BALLOT MEASURES
Friday, April 10, 2009 4:31 PM
The latest on California politics and government  April 10, 2009  Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at an event today to throw his support behind the package of measures on the May 19 special election ballot.  Villaraigosa, a Democrat and potential candidate for governor in 2010, said the package would help "to bring stability back to California's budget


GUARANTEED TO RAISE A SMILE, THE BAND YOU’VE KNOWN FOR ALL THESE YEARS . . .
Friday, April 10, 2009 10:47 AM


GOOD MORNING AMERICA FEATURES SOUTH L.A.’S ICEF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Friday, April 10, 2009 10:44 AM
Seven Years After Their First Visit, the Morning Show Returns to Showcase ICEF as a National Model for Reform   ICEF Press Release  Los Angeles, CA – ICEF Public Schools was featured this morning on Good Morning America, showcasing a charter school organization that has grown from one school in 2002, to a network of 13 high-performing charter schools that is changing South Los Angeles by sending


NYT: HOLD THE LINE ON SCHOOL REFORM
Friday, April 10, 2009 6:36 AM
New York Times Editorial  April 9, 2009 -- The $100 billion in federal stimulus money that Congress has set aside for education could get the nation’s flagging school reform effort — and its schools — back on the right track. For that to happen, Education Secretary Arne Duncan will need to tighten the preliminary eligibility guidelines he issued last week.   The purpose of a $49 billion


RULES ALLOWING EXTENDED TIME ON GRADUATION: Advocates Debate Effects of Change in Regulations
Thursday, April 09, 2009 10:33 PM
Published Online: March 31, 2009  Published in Print: April 1, 2009  By Catherine Gewertz | Ed Week  Federal regulations have opened a door that allows schools to get credit under the No Child Left Behind Act for students who take longer than four years to earn a high school diploma. But that option worries some education advocates, who fear it could relieve valuable pressure on high


TEACHERS UNION ADDS $2.2 MILLION MORE TO BALLOT WAR CHEST
Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:55 PM
Sac Bee | The latest on California politics and government  April 9, 2009     The California Teachers Association has deposited another $2.2 million into the campaign to pass Propositions 1A and 1B, bringing the group's total spending to nearly $5 million.  The union also donated $350,000 to the umbrella campaign for all six measures on the May 19 special election ballot.  Proposition 1B would

MORE THAN A QUARTER OF SEVENTH GRADERS DROP OUT
Thursday, April 09, 2009 6:50 PM
from the California Dropout Research Project  report on Los Angeles — bearing in mind the the Superintendent proposes to eliminate LAUSD’s dropout prevention program:                 “Even if half of the city’s dropouts eventually complete high school, the remaining half will cost the Los Angeles community $2.1 billion over their lifetimes.                  “Reducing the number of dropouts by

THE BUZZ: Foes of Props. 1D and 1E on the May 19 ballot are joining forces to thwart the two measures.
Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:11 PM
This story is taken from Sacbee / Capitol and California / State Politics  Published Thursday, Apr. 09, 2009      Prop. 1D would divert tobacco tax money from early childhood programs to the state's general fund.     Prop. 1E would siphon revenues from a surcharge on wealthy taxpayers used for mental health programs and put it in the general fund.    "Campaigning together makes perfect sense,"

CALIFORNIA ASKS FEDS FOR NEARLY $5B FOR EDUCATION
Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:03 PM
By Associated Press | Last modified Thursday, April 9, 2009 2:10 PM PDT  SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking the federal government for nearly $5 billion in economic stimulus money for California schools.  The governor signed the state's application Thursday.  Schwarzenegger says he hopes the money will avoid further teacher layoffs and help schools that are struggling to absorb

SCHOOLS CHIEF: FEDERAL EDUCATION BUCKS ARE ON THE WAY: “to help save jobs, to help better prepare students.”
Thursday, April 09, 2009 3:55 PM
SACRAMENTO BEE | CAPITOL ALERT  April 6, 2009 -- California's financially battered schools will get a $1.2-billion transfusion of federal stimulus funds next month, state schools chief Jack O'Connell said today, the first part of what could amount to $12.7 billion in education aid over the next two years.  But, O'Connell warned in a conference call with other education officials and reporters,

LA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD: NOT SO FAST: “We are hopeful that you will examine the possibilities of reducing your budget shortfall with resources provided by this economic recovery package, and we offer you our assistance in doing so.”
Thursday, April 09, 2009 3:41 PM
9 to 7: “We should not jeopardize the education of our children by laying off dedicated and experienced personnel without considering every possible alternative.”

GOVERNOR PUSHES LEGISLATURE FOR EXPEDITED RELEASE OF $1.2 BILLION IN RECOVERY ACT EDUCATION FUNDS
Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:58 AM
Governor's office press release       The Governor’s California Recovery Task Force today asked the legislature for expedited budget authority to quickly pass $1.2 billion in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding on to schools.   “I am committed to spending Recovery Act dollars efficiently and effectively, and to passing these dollars onto schools as quickly as possible to

GOV. SCHWARZENEGGER OFFERS ASSURANCES FOR FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDS
Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:57 AM
Stimulus money earmarked for California school districts won't be reallocated to balance the state's budget, according to a letter to the state's congressional delegation.   By Seema Mehta | LA Times         April 7, 2009 --Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has assured members of California's congressional delegation that the state will not use federal economic stimulus money earmarked for education

VAN NUYS SPECIAL-ED SCHOOL MAY CLOSE
Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:56 AM
declining enrollment + increased federal funding for IDEA under ARRA = right sizing special ed?   Wednesday, April 08, 2009    watch video  By Miriam Hernandez  VAN NUYS, Calif. (KABC) -- A school that has been providing for the special needs of children for more than four decades could be shut down at the end of the school year. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) blames declining

Senator Reid Urges Obama to Create White House Office Focused on Improving the Lives of America's Children
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 4:17 PM
For Immediate Release  Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009   CONTACT: Jim Manley, Reid, (202) 224-2939   REID URGES OBAMA TO CREATE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE LIVES OF AMERICA’S CHILDREN  Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid send the following letter to President Obama, calling on him to establish a White House office headed by a central coordinator“dedicated to

MORE CUTS TO STAFF AT LAUSD
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 4:18 PM
…these offices have also secured money for the district, created innovative teaching programs and tracked their progress.   By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer | LA Newspaper Group/Daily News     04/08/2009 -- Just when Los Angeles Unified officials need their advice the most, the men and women who help the district secure funding from Sacramento and Washington, D.C., are being laid off to cut costs.

RECENT STUDIES/UPCOMING FORUM: Comparing US to G-8 Education Outcomes, Two Studies on Charter Schools, Dropout Forum
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 3:59 PM
from ConnectforKids.org                 Researching Education Outcomes -- Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2009          How does the U.S. education system compare with other countries? According to this new National Center for Education Statistics report, we lag way behind in the share of 3- and 4-year-olds in preschool and have one of the lowest

BUFFALO PLANS (ENLIGHTENED) USE OF STIMULUS FUNDS: Extending the School Day and School Year
Wednesday, April 08, 2009 10:44 AM
From the April Issue of Urban Educator, the publication of the Council of Great City Schools.  New York’s Buffalo Public Schools will receive $37 million from the federal stimulus bill that was signed by President Obama in February   Buffalo Schools Superintendent James Williams recently announced that the district will use the money it is scheduled to receive to extend the school day and school

WHO WOULDA THUNK IT?: BOOMERS ARE RETIRING! NYT:Report Envisions Shortage of Teachers as Retirements Escalate + USAToday: A 'tsunami' of Boomer teacher retirements is on the horizon
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 11:36 AM
Report Envisions Shortage of Teachers as Retirements Escalate     By SAM DILLON | New York Times  April 7, 2009 -- Over the next four years, more than a third of the nation’s 3.2 million teachers could retire, depriving classrooms of experienced instructors and straining taxpayer-financed retirement systems, according to a new report.     The problem is aggravated by high attrition among rookie

4/7 - Today’s headlines: PLAYING THE UNION CARDS
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 11:34 AM
LAUSD, unions to discuss options  Los Angeles Daily News - ‎6 hours ago‎  Los Angeles Unified School District staff and union officials have until next Tuesday to find alternatives for the 8500 proposed layoffs. ...  LAUSD, UTLA continue negotiations  abc7.com - ‎11 hours ago‎  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Formal negotiations continued Monday afternoon between United Teachers Los Angeles and

LAUSD GETS POOR MARKS IN LOGIC 101
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 11:30 AM
By Jonathan Dobrer | OpEd in the Daily News   04/07/2009 — The mission of the Los Angeles Unified School District is to educate our children. It's a hard job with so many people, languages and cultures.   It's even harder when the money dries up and new teachers are pink-slipped, which is what has happened this spring. Now LAUSD faces a brain drain of enthusiastic new teachers and is creating a

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