School districts not keen on consolidation proposal

Many Ventura County school districts have rejected a grand jury’s recommendation to consolidate to save money, saying the move likely wouldn’t yield much cash and could cost communities local control.

District set to open new school on the Web

Delta Pacific Online School, a Web-based sixth- through 12th-grade public charter school, opens for its first year Aug. 24.

Lodi Unified will try to make do with less this year

Principals worked through the last day of summer break to finalize staffing, to prep classrooms, and to make sure facilities were ready for the Tuesday morning rush that will bring new challenges for educators following a summer of massive budget cuts.

Back to school for Lode children

Children in the northern half of Calaveras County will return to class today to find their schools - including popular programs such as music and small elementary class sizes - pretty much the same as last year. In a time when many school districts across the region have made large cuts, that's good news.

Big test for Stockton USD

Incongruously sparkling and modern as its angular form juts out in a south Stockton neighborhood, the new A.G. Spanos Elementary School can be viewed as a symbol of struggling Stockton Unified's efforts to ascend to high student achievement and a low dropout rate.

School budgets dip, class sizes grow

The recession is forcing districts to lay off teachers even as the economic stimulus pumps billions of dollars into schools. As a result, classrooms across the country will be more crowded when school starts in the fall.

Crews ready temporary space for new magnet school

Work is under way at Washington Middle School to convert vacant classrooms into a small temporary campus for the magnet high school that Vista Unified School District plans to open there next month.

Retired professor seeks superintendent post

A retired community college professor has announced plans to run for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.

Sacramento city schools join trend, find chief with broad experience

The Sacramento City Unified School District's new superintendent – like a growing number of top school administrators across the county – is an education outsider who spent most of his career in the private sector.

High school plan draws complaints from Oakley, Brentwood

Oakley and Brentwood officials have voiced concerns about the Liberty school district's plans for a fourth high school, citing potentially unsafe routes and congested streets around the proposed school.

Bay Area health and school officials brace for swine flu

As health departments brace for a possible increase in swine flu cases, schools are preparing to ramp up prevention and student absence tracking when classes resume during the next six weeks.

Appeals court rejects trainee-teacher lawsuit

A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit by low-income families in Richmond, Hayward and Los Angeles challenging education rules that they say have saddled their schools with thousands of inexperienced teachers who lack credentials.

Cities, schools brace for more cuts in wake of state budget

Now that Inland school and city officials are wrapping up the painful cuts for the 2009-10 fiscal year that resulted in layoffs, bigger class sizes and four-day-a-week city halls, they are confronting the reality that the outlook for 2010-11 is just as bleak.

California schools may miss out on federal funds

California schools may already have lost the Race to the Top. The state isn't likely to see any of the $4.35 billion in competitive federal grants that will be passed out as part of the American Recovery Act if legislators don't rescind a law that prevents teachers from being evaluated based on student test scores, say federal officials.

Obama chides California for not using test scores to evaluate teachers

President Obama singled out California on Friday for failing to use education data to distinguish poor teachers from good ones, a situation that his administration said must change for the state to receive competitive, federal school dollars.

Novice teachers can still count as "highly qualified" in California

A challenge to federal rules defining a qualified teacher has fallen short in federal court. A judicial panel in the 9th Circuit ruled this week that community groups and public-interest attorneys had no legal standing to bring their case.

California education cutbacks: bigger classes, less summer school

Schools have been squeezed with midyear cuts in 2008-09 and in the preliminary budget for this year. The summer school cutback forced many parents to scramble for child care and midday transportation.

Budget cuts aside, educators continue to close the achievement gap

State cuts to education haven't distracted educators from their goal of narrowing the achievement gap. Now that there is a state budget in place, educators say narrowing or closing the gap is the best thing they can do to improve the economy and prepare students for the future.

Proposed schools policy says two languages better than one

A newly proposed policy would back up Minverva Espejo and her views, marking a turning point in thinking about bilingual education in San Diego Unified.