Monday, May 12, 2008
Santa Rosa considers closing two schools
Santa Rosa City Schools is considering closing schools and libraries, slashing athletic programs and eliminating assistant principal positions to cope with a $17.3 million deficit over the next two years.Hundreds rally in support of Crenshaw High students
More than 400 parents, students and community leaders rallied at Crenshaw High School on Saturday in a unity event that took on added urgency after a student melee Friday at another South Los Angeles school.Tensions swell over free speech rights
When Lodi High seniors Josh Niemeyer and Amanda Carter lined up for their "Techno City"-themed prom photos last month, they flashed t hand signs. When school administrators saw the photo, however, they slapped Niemeyer and Carter with suspensions.CUSD singles out 3 schools
Three of Capistrano Unified's poorest elementary schools could offer smaller class sizes in the primary grades this fall, even as administrators look to cut the popular program from the district's 33 other elementary campuses in response to anticipated state cutbacks.Column: Mysterious things happening at CalPERS
Something is happening at the nation's largest pension fund, the Sacramento-based California Public Employees' Retirement System, which has nearly a quarter-trillion dollars in investments ranging from real estate to stocks.Column: A fine example of where and how kids learn to write
Teacher Elizabeth Nesci contacted me after I wrote a column about the latest disappointing round of writing test scores. Not all California students are struggling, she said. Nesci invited me to her classroom at Sierra Oaks Elementary in the San Juan Unified School District to read samples of her students' writing and talk about her teaching methods. I came away impressed with both.San Juan district teachers may start labor action
Teachers in the San Juan Unified School District could start working to the bell this week, cutting out any commitments not required by their contract to pressure district officials into a pay raise.Visalia school officials start northwest campus plan
School district officials say it could be years before new middle school and high school campuses are needed to serve growing enrollment in Visalia. But they're already looking ahead with 160 acres of land in the northwest part of the city.Mt. Diablo school board to vote on more cuts
The Mt. Diablo school board is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to cut millions of more dollars from the district budget. Leaders of the East Bay's second largest school district already approved roughly $15 million in reductions for next school year, or the equivalent of 145 jobs. This week, superintendent Gary McHenry could put another 28 positions on the chopping block.Student count wanted for Dougherty Valley
The San Ramon Valley school district is asking Dougherty Valley residents to tell them how many kids they will be sending to its schools in the coming years, an idea prompted by parents upset with overcrowding.Finances main topic for foes in District A
The public's outrage over California's education budget crisis – and looming teacher layoffs – has made school finances a hot topic of conversation in San Diego and elsewhere. It's no wonder the issue is a dominate theme along the campaign for San Diego school board candidates.Four school districts in county feared future deficits
Four school districts reported they may be unable to pay their bills in the next two years because of the state budget crisis.School district running out of money from Proposition H
The Grossmont Union High School District has been showcasing one finished project after another paid for with Proposition H bond money. But the district is running out of the funds and will be unable to finish all the projects promised to East County voters when they passed the $274 million bond measure in 2004.Rules make cuts tough assignment
At Roosevelt Middle School near Balboa Park, 15 teachers have received tentative layoff notices, but there are no plans to cancel after-school juggling. The decisions – forced upon local school districts by a potential 10 percent cut in state education spending – aren't the product of local administrators' priorities but of a thicket of school funding laws that dictate how state and federal money gets spent.Some gifted students are being ignored, advocates say
Highly intelligent, talented students need special programs to keep them engaged and challenged. But experts say too often they aren't even identified -- especially in low-income and minority schools.Some student government campaigns aren't for the thrifty
While some schools in Orange County – like Laguna Hills High School – cap their ASB candidates' spending, others are considering rules to rein in over-the-top campaigns that shower potential student voters with pizza, candy and free T-shirts.Other states woo California teachers
Drawn by pink slips issued to thousands of teachers, recruiters from school districts nationwide are wooing California teachers with greater fervor than usual.Sacramento area districts will lay off fewer teachers than planned
When Sacramento area school districts send pink slips out this week, they'll be laying off fewer teachers than they predicted they would earlier this year.Small L.A. Unified campus showing large gains
Although chaos seems to be the order of the day at the Student Empowerment Academy, the small campus has produced some of the biggest academic gains in the district.State's budget options run thin
This will not be a typically bad budget year. It will be worse. California has faced rough times recently, but the cavalry - in the form of massive borrowing or pushing off the state's debts and obligations for another day - has always managed to rescue the governor and the Legislature before they were forced to seriously cut state services or raise taxes. Now those options are largely gone.
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