Education News:  1/31/10  

Class Cuts Wreak Havoc At California Universities -- California's budget crisis came into stark focus in the halls of Sacramento State last week, where many students returning for spring semester were turned away from classes they had hoped to get into, or strained from hallways to hear lectures in classes that had enrolled way more students than there were seats. LAUREL ROSENHALL in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/10

Denham Bill Would Cap College Fee Hikes -- Legislation that would require a 180-day waiting period and a 10% cap on fee increases at California’s public universities was introduced Friday in the state Senate, state Sen. Jeff Denham said during an appearance at California State University, Fresno. EDDIE JIMENEZ in the Fresno Bee -- 1/31/10

Teacher Pay Can Vary Greatly By District, California Report Says -- The amount of money a California teacher makes these days depends greatly on the school district that cuts the paycheck, according to a state report released this month. And the gap between the high and low salaries is wide. DIANA LAMBERT and PHILLIP REESE in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/10

Berkeley Schools Look To Shift Funds To Help Close Achievement Gap -- After talking about the problem for years, Berkeley school officials are on the verge of shifting millions of dollars to underperforming black and Latino students, adding to an old debate about how to reduce the disparities between the top and the bottom. DOUG OAKLEY in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/31/10

Cost Of Teaching English Learning Students In SB County $34M -- San Bernardino County public schools are spending more than $34 million in state and federal money this school year to educate English learners, a group whose population has doubled since 1995. STEPHEN WALL in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 1/31/10

UC Sleuths Seek Proof For Glorious Claims On Admission Applications -- Like no other higher education system in the nation, the University of California has a quiet team of vigilant auditors that review the accuracy of randomly selected applications — and may yank ones shined up by too much balderdash, big-talk or bull. LISA M. KRIEGER in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/31/10

State News:

2/1/10

“Listen to the people”: the polls the pols
By Peter Schrag
When Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor in the 2003 recall election, he talked endlessly about California’s need for “leadership.” Last Monday, in what will probably be his last appearance before the Sacramento Press Club, the refrain was “listen to the people.”

Lost Jobs, Economy Seen As Top Issue In Governor Race -- As tens of thousands of Californians lose their jobs every month, the high-stakes race for governor is becoming a referendum on how to stem the unemployment tide and get people back into the labor market. JACK CHANG in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/1/10

California Legislators In No Rush To Start Patching $20 Billion Deficit -- Nearly a month after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called an emergency legislative session to begin tackling some $8.9 billion in budget fixes, the clock for lawmakers would seem to be ticking louder every day. DENIS C. THERIAULT in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/1/10
 

 Education News:  1/29/10

Study Accuses California's Higher Education Systems Of Poor Coordination -- California’s three systems of public higher education need to coordinate better, eliminate duplicate programs and make it easier for students to transfer from community colleges to Cal State or University of California campuses, according to a report released today by the state Legislative Analyst's Office. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/29/10

Fensterwald: Education Is Where Obama Can Claim Success -- President Obama admitted mistakes, and issued a few mea culpas in his State of the Union address this week. But he also rightfully took credit for a fundamental change in approach to federal education policy, and promised more of the same. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/29/10

Colleges Inaccurately Report Crime Data, Audit Finds -- All six of the California colleges and universities visited by the state auditor inaccurately reported campus crime statistics as required by the federal Clery Act, a new report shows. ERICA PEREZ California Watch -- 1/29/10

Fresno's Charter Plan Sparks Conflict-Of-Interest Concerns -- Fresno school officials made an announcement this week that has raised eyebrows up and down the state: The public school district wants go into the private charter school business. COREY G. JOHNSON California Watch -- 1/29/10

New Teachers Facing Tough Times -- Jeri Bravo, 34, expects to receive her special education teaching credential in June. She isn't expecting a job offer by then. LINDA LOU in the Riverside Press -- 1/29/10

CalPERS, CalSTRS Funding Levels Plunge -- A decade ago, when the stock market was booming, the funding levels of CalPERS and CalSTRS were both over 100 percent, a projection that assets would be more than enough to meet pension costs in the decades ahead. ED MENDEL Calpensions.com -- 1/29/10


State News: 1/29/10 

CFT In the News:  1/28/10

Tagliando California
Altre Notizie - ‎19 hours ago‎
... un settore pubblico fortemente sindacalizzato in un settore dove i sindacati sono praticamente assenti, secondo la California Federation of Teachers. ...

Education News:  1/28/10

Fensterwald: PPIC Poll: Tax Us To Protect K-12 Schools -- Two-thirds of adults surveyed in a Public Policy Institute of California poll say they support higher taxes to maintain funding for K-12 schools. And a full 82 percent, including a majority of Republicans polled, oppose cutting K-12 education to reduce the state budget deficit. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/28/10

L.A. Unified Teacher Barred From Class 7 Years Ago Is Finally Fired -- The Los Angeles Unified School District has fired a teacher who had been paid his full salary since being barred from the classroom more than seven years ago for alleged misconduct. JASON SONG in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/28/10

CSU Launches Plan To Boost Graduation Rates -- At their meeting in Long Beach on Wednesday, California State University trustees announced a plan to increase the portion of students who make it to graduation and earn a bachelor's degree. LAUREL ROSENHALL in the Sacramento Bee CARLA RIVERA in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/28/10

Judge Orders Peralta To Release Report On Elihu Harris -- A judge has tentatively ruled that the Peralta Community College District make public an inspector general's report into outgoing Chancellor Elihu Harris's role in awarding a no-bid contract to his business partner, according to court records. THOMAS PEELE in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/28/10

L.A. Unified Unveils Revamped 'Report Cards' Evaluating Its Schools -- The new product updates an effort to make school performance more transparent. HOWARD BLUME in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/28/10

California Teachers Pension Fund $42.6 Billion Short
BusinessWeek - Michael B. Marois - ‎20 hours ago‎
27 (Bloomberg) -- The California State Teachers Retirement System, the second biggest US public pension, will need to ask taxpayers for more money after ...

State News: 1/28/10

Oregon Voters Deliver Game-Changing Victory
In the California Progress Report
By Robert Cruickshank
Pundits like to claim California voters are anti-tax. Of course, we've raised various kinds of taxes at the state level, including the Prop 10 cigarette taxes in 1998, and the Prop 63 millionaire's tax for mental health programs passed in 2004. Still, even though our reputation remains, we've got nothing on Oregon, where no tax has been approved by statewide voters since 1930.

In the LA Times – 1/27/10
Voters in Oregon OK tax hikes for some
Corporations and wealthy families are targeted to help ease the state's budget crisis.

California Federation of Teachers In the News: 1/27/10

$113 million, 2-year, S.F. schools cut asked
Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
..."We want to make sure we get heard on all of this," said Dennis Kelly, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, ...

Corporate Unionbusting Continues, Even as Unionized Workforce Shrinks
In These Times - Roger Bybee - ‎19 hours ago‎
For Peter Rickman, president of the Teaching Assistants Association (an American Federation of Teachers affiliate) at UW-Madison which is organizing the ...

Education News:  1/27/10

Movement tries to fix Social Security inequity
San Francisco Chronicle - Carolyn Said - ‎10 hours ago‎
In California and 14 other states where teachers do not participate in Social Security, second-career educators who previously held private-sector jobs ...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/26/MNE21BL4Q3.DTL

It may take a lawsuit to preserve schools
Carlos Garcia
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
On Tuesday night at the San Francisco Board of Education meeting my administration brought forward a preliminary budget proposal that encompassed the next two fiscal years and contains cuts of a magnitude never seen in California public education to date.

LAO Gives Governor's Higher Ed-Prison Plan An F
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to link funding for higher education to prisons should be rejected. That's the assessment of the state's non-partisan Legislative Analyst in a report released yesterday. Reporter: John Myers.

California Budget Idea -- Praised by Higher Ed -- Criticized
Inside Higher Ed - ‎4 hours ago‎
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pleased higher education leaders this month by proposing that the state's Constitution be amended to ensure that the ...

Excellent education: a right or a privilege?
San Francisco Chronicle (blog) - ‎1 hour ago‎
Every child in San Francisco (and the Bay Area, California, America, the world) needs and deserves high-quality education. Excellent schools with classes ...

FUSD Plans Nonprofit Group For Charter School -- In what may be the first of its kind in California, Fresno Unified School District plans to launch a nonprofit organization to open a charter school in west-central Fresno. TRACY CORREA in the Fresno Bee -- 1/27/10

L.A. Groups Bid To Run 30 Schools -- Groups from inside and outside L.A. Unified have been making presentations on how they would operate 12 low-performing and 18 new campuses. The school board will decide before March. HOWARD BLUME in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/27/10

Report Reveals Negative Reaction To No Child Left Behind -- More testing and shortened instructional time is what some teachers are facing as a result of the approval of the No Child Left Behind Act. CANAN TASCI in the San Bernardino Sun -- 1/27/10

Cal State Aims To Boost Graduation Rates -- Despite budget cuts, the system intends to get more students degrees, and faster. One way would be to reduce general education requirements, which not everyone thinks is a good idea. CARLA RIVERA in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/27/10

Primary-Grade Classes Of 20-To-1 On The Chopping Block -- When San Jose Unified took the unpopular step of increasing K-3 class sizes to 30 for this school year, it had little company in abandoning one of California's most cherished education reforms. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/27/10

Sac Bee Capitol Alert
Copenhagen trip sponsored by University of Phoenix
The for-profit University of Phoenix, which has lobbied against stricter postsecondary regulations in California, donated $50,000 to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last November to pay for his aides to travel to Copenhagen, as well as for the Capitol tree-lighting ceremony, according to gift records filed by the Governor's Office.

State News: 1/27

Do California Leaders Need To Stay After School?
In the California Progress Report By Cynthia Craft - Health Access
California’s performance ranking in five key areas, including health care, dropped a grade on the annual report card issued by Children Now, leaving the Golden State with its most tarnished marks in the 20-year history of the advocacy group’s rating system. 

CFT In the News:  1/26/10

Pajaro Valley teachers are wondering...
Register Pajaronian - Peter Nichols - ‎16 hours ago‎
That's the question posed by negotiators for the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers on a recent episode of “Teacher, speak out!

Race to the Top - Driving a Race to Reform?
Connect For Kids - Jan Richter - ‎22 hours ago‎
... who go after them for personal reasons," said Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers, as reported in the Los Angeles Times.

Education News:  1/26/10

LAO says governor's prison-higher ed plan 'ill-conceived'
In a four-page review, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said today that lawmakers should reject Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed ballot measure to dedicate more money to public universities than prisons.

California: America's First Failed State
Newsweek - ‎25 minutes ago‎
Education: California built the best public university system in the country, which it is currently dismantling because it is now a failed state.

Top teachers hindered by No Child Left Behind act, UCR study finds
Press-Enterprise - Dayna Straehley - ‎5 hours ago‎
published by UCR today in Policy Matters, the authors surveyed 740 national board certified teachers in California. They found that 84 percent reported ...

US Recession Forces Jobless Teachers to Find Employment Overseas, According to ...
Business Wire (press release) - ‎7 hours ago‎
In California, this resulted in 5500 teachers being laid off, and those remaining being switched to 10-month work years.

Why I'm Running For CA Superintendent Of Instruction And My Platform-Leonard J ...
Bay Area Indymedia - Leonard J. Martin - ‎Jan 25, 2010‎
It has caused me great pain throughout the last forty years to see the California education system lose its credibility and quality.

State News: 1/26/10 

CFT In the News:  1/25/10

Schwarzenegger's budget plan puts unions in the cross-hairs
Los Angeles Times - Shane Goldmacher - ‎14 hours ago‎
... to basically change a unionized sector of the economy to a nonunion sector," said Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers.

Education News:  1/25/10

School Districts Not Sure About Racing to the Top – KQED California Report
Hundreds of millions of dollars are riding on a federal K-12 education program called "Race To The Top". But some local school officials in California aren't sure about making the commitments the program demands, and their inaction could jeopardize the whole state's bid. Reporter: Ana Tintocalis.

California schools angry over even more cuts
San Jose Mercury News - Sharon Noguchi - ‎10 hours ago‎
Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaiming this month that his proposed budget "protects education," school administrators say they will actually lose about $200 per ...

California's Race To Top Reforms Divide Educators
KPBS - Ana Tintocalis - ‎8 minutes ago‎
California - A who's who in California public education filtered into an auditorium at the state capitol on a rainy Friday morning to hear ...

Education is Challenger's challenge
Los Angeles Times - Mark Rosenbaum, Laura Faer - ‎10 hours ago‎
Giving these kids a good education is not just good policy: It's the law. State law mandates that juvenile detention facilities in California, ...

Report: California's public schools reeling from recession
The Salinas Californian - ‎5 hours ago‎
Researchers at UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access interviewed 87 elementary, middle and high principals across California to gauge the ...

Fensterwald: Parcel Tax Initiative Needs Signatures -- Twenty-two of state Sen. Joe Simitian’s colleagues in the Senate are co-sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lower the threshold for passing a local school parcel tax from two-thirds to 55 percent. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/25/10

California Watch: Schools Reject Immigrant, Preschool Reforms In Race To The Top -- Hundreds of school districts and charter schools have pledged support for the federal government's Race to the Top education reforms. COREY G. JOHNSON California Watch -- 1/25/10

California Schools Angry Over Even More Cuts -- Despite Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaiming this month that his proposed budget "protects education," school administrators say they will actually lose about $200 per student under Sacramento's version of new math. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/25/10

Stanford Receives Record Number Of Applications -- Despite a shaky national economy, Stanford University has received a record number of applications for its fall freshman class. JOHN WILDERMUTH in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/25/10

San Diego Schools' New Testing Idea: No Child Left Unmeasured -- Tom O'Malley knew that the fourth grade classes at Birney Elementary had been a success -- but the numbers said it had failed. EMILY ALPERT Voiceofsandiego.org -- 1/25/10

Colleges' gender gap
Editorial: Women now outnumber men both in applying to schools and earning degrees.

1/23/10

Students Face a Class Struggle at State Colleges
New York Times - Katharine Mieszkowski - ‎Jan 23, 2010‎
Welcome to state-run higher education in California. Mr. Macias is just one of more than 26000 students at San Francisco State, and now educational ...

Late News:  1/22/10

State of Education Address: Progress Despite Budget Crunch – Capital Public Radio
Fri Jan 22, 2010 — The state’s Schools Chief says despite California’s budget crisis, students are making progress. Jack O’Connell gave his annual State of Education Address today Friday.

State News: 1/25/10

Some Foundations, Too, Are Quitting California
In the California Progress Report, By Peter Schrag
Gates and Hewlett, two leading foundations that have been generous supporters of major California programs and organizations in education and many other fields are said to be so frustrated by the state’s lack of leadership, its legislative gridlock and the power of public sector unions in blocking reforms that they’re sharply reducing their funding in California.

1/24/10

Lobbyist Groups Fund -- And Attend -- Republican Legislators' Retreat -- Companies pressing an agenda in the Capitol, including oil and tobacco firms, funneled $120,000 to a group that covered much of the three-day event at a luxury resort in Santa Barbara. PATRICK MCGREEVY in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/24/10

Education News:  1/22/10

O'Connell cites school gains, laments budget cuts
State schools Supt. Jack O'Connell delivered his swan song today, citing "real gains" in academic achievement over his last seven years as the state's top educator but lamenting that financial support for schools is waning.

Early Learning Key Part of Race to the Top Education Reform Conversation
In the Calif. Progress Report - By Catherine Atkin
Earlier this week, California joined the competition for federal Race to the Top education reform funds, and early childhood education advocates were pleased to see that early learning is a key component of the state education reform agenda that is laid out in the application.

Recession hits California students at school and at home, report finds UC Los Angeles

Few Low-Income Districts Pass Parcel Taxes -- Parcel taxes are one of the few ways that cash-strapped school districts can raise money for schools. Few districts try, in part because it takes a two-thirds majority of voters to pass one. And most often, it’s wealthy communities that succeed. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/22/10

Gateway To College Expands With $13 Million In Grants -- The Gateway to College National Network announced today that it has received $13 million in grants to expand programs that help high school dropouts earn a diploma while also amassing college credits. CARLA RIVERA in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/10

Part-Timer Hours At Issue As San Juan Teachers Sue -- The San Juan Teachers Association has filed a lawsuit against San Juan Unified, accusing the district of violating the state Education Code by increasing the hours of part-time workers instead of hiring back employees who were laid off last year. DIANA LAMBERT in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/22/10

Opinion: Money isn't the only problem threatening the UC system
San Jose Mercury News - Thomas Jue, Jerold Theis - ‎19 hours ago‎
Only with this voice can California develop the political will to overcome a clear and imminent danger staring at higher education.

School Matters: California Must Raise Latino Student Achievement
New America Media - ‎14 hours ago‎
The unraveling of California's premiere education system did not happen overnight and will not be restored quickly.

State News: 1/22/10

California's Campaign Spending Approach Goes National
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that corporations and labor unions can spend almost anything they want on independent political campaigns. Some experts believe what it really means is that California's no-holds barred system of campaign spending is now the law of the land. Reporter: John Myers.

Walters: Field Poll Fires The California Election's Starting Gun -- Traditionally, early election- year polls by the venerable Field Research Corp. fire the starting gun for California's high-profile political contests. DAN WALTERS in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/22/10

Educators at odds about Race to the Top reform
Register Pajaronian
The California Federation of Teachers on Tuesday slammed a recent budget proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying it will take millions from schools, ...

Educators respond to Governor and Launch “Fight for California's Future”
California Progress Report
The California Federation of Teachers has an alternative to these bad ideas. We are launching a campaign, the Fight for California's Future, to protest the ...
See all stories on this topic

Education News:  1/14/2010

L.A. Schools Paid $200 Million More In Salaries Than Budgeted -- The payments occurred despite the layoffs of 2,000 teachers and hundreds of other employees. Auditors say they have found no wrongdoing, but officials are puzzled. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/14/10

Sacramento-Area Schools Say Schwarzenegger Wants Cuts They're Already Making -- California school superintendents spent the early part of this week huddled with staff, trying to figure out what the governor's budget proposal means to their districts. DIANA LAMBERT and PHILLIP REESE in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/14/10

Governor's Promise To 'Protect Education' Rings Hollow As Schools Look At Fine Print -- Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger crowed about protecting education when he released his budget, he failed to mention a $1.5 billion cut planned for next year along with a decreased cost of living adjustment. THERESA HARRINGTON in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/14/10

State Budget Could Mean More Devastating Cuts For West Contra Costa Schools -- West Contra Costa district officials may have to cut $10 million from next school year's budget despite promises from the state that education would be spared this time around. SHELLY MERON in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/14/10

L.A. Schools Supt. Cortines Reiterates Vow To Strengthen Teacher Evaluations -- Supt. Ramon C. Cortines, meeting this afternoon with Times editors and reporters, repeated his vow to strengthen the Los Angeles Unified School District's teacher evaluation system and get rid of ineffective instructors before they are granted tenure. BETH SHUSTER and JASON SONG in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/14/10

Charter School Aimed At Hmong Students Sets Off Debate -- Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said Wednesday he strongly supports a proposed charter school that would be geared toward Hmong students. Several school board members, however, are concerned the school is essentially calling for segregation. MELODY GUTIERREZ in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/14/10

 UC Berkeley Ranks High In Survey On Enrollment Of The Poor And Minorities -- UC Berkeley ranked relatively high in a new national survey about the enrollment of low-income and minority college students and financial aid for them. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/14/10

 UC Minority Enrollment Among Lowest In Nation -- But a study released Wednesday of the nation's 50 flagship public universities - the best in each state - shows that minority students like Stewart-Thomas make up only a fraction of students at these schools. UC Berkeley has one of the lowest rates, 17 percent. NANETTE ASIMOV in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/14/10

College Programs At Prisons In Peril -- Severe budget shortfall is forcing California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to withdraw its support for college programs at the prisons statewide. MEDIHA FEJZAGIC DIMARTINO in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 1/14/10

State News: 1/14/2010

A Schwarzenegger Retort To California's Congressional Delegation -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a tiff with the state’s congressional delegation over his request for more federal aid, threw the lawmakers' own words back at them in a letter Wednesday – though some of the words were uttered seven years ago. MICHAEL ROTHFELD and ANTHONY YORK in the Los Angeles Times KEVIN YAMAMURA in the Sacramento Bee DON THOMPSON AP -- 1/14/10

After Learning Of Campaign Donations, Dems Turn Up Heat On Insurance Companies -- Nineteen Senate Democrats on Wednesday called for the health insurance industry to lose its long-held anti-trust exemption after news surfaced that insurance companies have spent millions in a concealed effort to oppose healthcare reform. ALEXANDER BOLTON The Hill -- 1/14/10
 

Education News:  1/13/2010

Los Angeles Teacher Should Be Fired Immediately, Judge Again Rules -- A city schoolteacher removed from the classroom more than seven years ago for alleged misconduct -- and who continued to receive a full paycheck the entire time -- should be fired immediately, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered Tuesday. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/13/10 

Fensterwald: State Needs Federal Waiver For K-12 Spending -- Gov. Schwarzenegger and Education Secretary Arne Duncan may have a disagreement over the definition of the word “protect.” It will be Duncan who will have the final word. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/13/10

Fensterwald: State Saves When Districts Ditch Small Classes -- The state is counting on districts abandoning the class-size reduction program to help bail out the state budget this year and next. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/13/10

State Tries To Attract Math And Science Teachers -- Some would-be teachers will have a new and potentially faster way to receive credentials under this month's state legislation meant to improve California's chances of getting federal school-improvement money. JIM MILLER in the Riverside Press -- 1/13/10

Local Educational Agencies Partner In Race To The Top -- Hundreds of local educational agencies have agreed to partner with the state in the federal Race to the Top competition, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced Tuesday. DEBBIE PFEIFFER TRUNNELL in the San Bernardino Sun -- 1/13/10

School Furloughs Threaten Teacher Development Days At PUSD -- Officials are considering mandating five furlough days for Pasadena Unified School District's 1,000 teachers as part of a plan to close a $20 million budget gap for the coming school year. BRIAN CHARLES in the San Gabriel Tribune -- 1/13/

Learn a trade, feed a student forever
Los Angeles Times - Mike Rustigan - ‎9 hours ago‎
Back when California had perhaps the best public education system in the nation, career and technical classes were considered necessary and respectable.

States' report card ignores family data
UPI.com - ‎18 hours ago‎
12 (UPI) -- A California education researcher said a category in an education magazine's annual states' report card doesn't accurately assess student ...

Out Here: Not her mother's UC
Los Angeles Times - ‎9 hours ago‎
There are fewer classes and fewer teachers and teaching assistants. Classes are larger, and lecture courses often lack smaller discussion groups.

Beverly Hills Blocks Outside Students
New York Times - Jennifer Steinhauer - ‎8 hours ago‎
But now, because cash-poor California has reduced local support to schools, including the reimbursements for out-of-district students, the so-called permit ...

State News: 1/13/2010

LAO: Schwarzenegger's assumptions for federal aid unrealistic Sac Bee Capitol Report – late news 1/12/10
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office on Tuesday deemed "almost nonexistent" the chances that California will receive anywhere near the roughly $8 billion in federal aid and waivers that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is counting on in his budget plan.

Legislative Analyst: Governor's Budget Too Optimistic
Tue Jan 12, 2010 — The state's non-partisan legislative analyst says the Governor's budget plan isn't half-bad, but when it comes to raking in lots of federal dollars, he has one message: Dream on. Capitol Public Radio


CFT In the News: 1/12/2010

CFT In the News:  1/7/2010

Rev. Sharpton's LA leader wants apology for teacher union's "lynch mob" reference
San Francisco Chronicle (blog)
Al Sharpton's National Action Network wants "an immediate and public apology" from the California Federation of Teachers for using the phrase "lynch mob" to ...

State Education Labor Leaders Call for Full Funding of Public Education in ...
California Progress Report
Friedlander is president of the American Federation of Teachers, Local 1521. He also serves as a vice president of the Los Angeles County Federation of ...

Education News:  1/7/2010

Legislature Passes Key Education Reforms -- The California Legislature on Wednesday sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger landmark education reforms designed to overhaul the state's worst schools and let parents send their children elsewhere. DON THOMPSON AP

Governor Pledges To Spare Education From Cuts -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to spare public schools, colleges and universities from the budget ax this year and proposed privatizing at least some of the state's prisons in his final State of the State address. WYATT BUCHANAN, MARISA LAGOS in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/10

Educators Intrigued By Proposal To Link College, Prison Spending -- University leaders on Wednesday lauded Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to shift state money from prisons to higher education, but some experts warned the proposal is just bad budgeting. MATT KRUPNICK in the Oakland Tribune -- 

Governor's Call For Giving Colleges Priority Over Prisons Faces Hard Political Tests -- Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to save money by privatizing prisons and the wisdom of linking the funding of universities and corrections facilities present formidable obstacles in Sacramento. SHANE GOLDMACHER and LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/7/10

Higher Education Vs. Prisons: See Where California's Money Goes -- In his State of the State address Wednesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the state from spending more money on prisons than on higher education. The governor said California is spending 10 percent of its general fund on prisons and 7 percent on higher education. PHILLIP REESE in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/7/10

Some School Districts Could Be Insolvent Within Three Years, Must Make Deeper Cuts, Raise Money To Stay Afloat -- Struggling with state budget cuts, nearly half of East Bay school districts and educational agencies report that they may not be able to pay their bills in the next three years. THERESA HARRINGTON and KATY MURPHY in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/7/10

The Public Eye: Some Sacramento School Workers Lost Job, Others Got Pay Hikes -- Last year was a tough one for Sacramento City Unified School District employees who lost jobs in the budget cuts. But it was a windfall for others in the district. DIANA LAMBERT in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/7/10

Santa Rosa Schools Rejects Federal Education Program -- Santa Rosa City Schools will not put out its collective hand for federal Race to the Top money, deciding Wednesday there is little money available in exchange for unknown mandates and potential costs. KERRY BENEFIELD in the 
Some Local School Districts Will Be On Sidelines For Race To The Top -- Several Ventura County school districts have decided to sit out the Race to the Top federal reform program, saying they don’t feel comfortable signing up before the rules are in place. CHERI CARLSON in the Ventura Star -- 1/7/10

State News: 1/7/2010

Governor Predicts "Cruel" Cuts In 2010 -- In the final State of the State address of his gubernatorial career, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday set the stage for a brutal year of budget battles by predicting another round of painful spending cuts, but promised that job creation and fiscal reform would be his focus in 2010. BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register -- 1/7/10


CFT/Affiliates In the News: 1/6/1020

A modest education reform
Long Beach Press-Telegram - ‎14 hours ago‎
It's opposed by the Association of California School Administrators, the California Federation of Teachers and the California Teachers Association, ...

California Chasing Federal Education Dollars
MyMotherLode.com - Bill Johnson - ‎3 hours ago‎
Opponents include the California Teachers Association, one of the most powerful special interest groups in the state, the California Federation of Teachers, ...

Union leaders express concerns about governor's budget announcement
Contra Costa Times - Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell - ‎16 hours ago‎
 At Tuesday's news conference, Taiz was joined by Carl Friedlander, president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 1521, Pat Gantt, president of the California State University Employees Union, Stanton Glantz, vice president of the Council of University of California Faculty Associations and others....
 
Education News:  1/6/2010

Governor pledges to spare education from cuts
San Francisco Chronicle - ‎2 minutes ago‎
And we can no longer afford to cut higher education either," the governor said. The governor also said California will face further spending cuts to balance

Union Leaders Ask Governor Not To Cut Education Funds -- State labor leaders held a conference call today to urge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger not to propose education funding cuts when he releases his budget later this week. JASON SONG in the Los Angeles Times DEBBIE PFEIFFER TRUNNELL in the San Bernardino Sun -- 1/6/10

California Assembly Passes Education Reform Bills -- The California Assembly on Tuesday passed two landmark education-reform bills that will give parents and state officials broad authority to overhaul the state's worst schools. SAMANTHA YOUNG AP

Walters: 'Race To The Top' A Brief Skirmish In State's Long Education War -- Two dynastic families jousted bloodily for 30 years during the 15th century for control of the English throne, a struggle that historians call the War of the Roses. California's version is the three-decade-long (and counting) struggle between rival factions over public education, the state's most expensive and arguably most important program. DAN WALTERS in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/6/10

LAUSD Agrees To State Mandate -- The Los Angeles Unified school board agreed in principle Tuesday to accept new state accountability standards for teachers, principals and schools, potentially making the district eligible for millions of federal dollars. CONNIE LLANOS in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/6/10

White House announces $250M effort for science and math teachers
Washington Post - Nick Anderson - ‎2 hours ago‎
About 1200 teachers from California, Arizona, Massachusetts and New Jersey have taken the course since 2007. "There's a lot of research that says if the ...

Federal bills could erase teachers' social security losses
OCRegister - ‎11 hours ago‎
Q. I am very interested in your opinion on the Windfall Elimination Act that affects a California teachers' retirement income.

State News: 1/6/2010

From the Sac Bee Capitol Alert January 6, 2010:

See Arnold Schwarzenegger's word cloud
Words most frequently used in the State of the State speech: Sac Bee Capitol Alert January 6, 2010

Text of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State of the State speech

Education News:  1/5/2010

Race to the Top Coming Down to the Wire
As the state legislature reconvenes this week, one of the most pressing items on the agenda is passing the so-called Race to the Top bill; that's California's bid for a share of billions of dollars the federal government is offering to push change in public education. The deadline is in two weeks. Reporter: Mina Kim.  California Report

California Set To Pass Education Overhaul Plan -- The California Legislature is poised to pass an education plan today that makes far-reaching changes to how public schools are governed, giving parents the power to transfer their kids out of failing schools and to force districts to overhaul bad schools. MARISA LAGOS in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/5/10

Fensterwald: Districts Ready To Race, But Will They Really Sign? -- California will have some impressive numbers to show the feds, if most of the districts that have expressed interest in the federal Race to the Top competition follow through this week and sign the dotted line to participate in the state’s as yet unfinished application. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 1/5/10

Calif. Assembly delays vote on education reform
San Jose Mercury News - Samantha Young - ‎15 hours ago‎
California lawmakers started 2010 the way they closed business last year—finding compromise on education reform elusive.

Dellums ducks out of coalition seeking ed funds
San Francisco Chronicle - ‎4 hours ago‎
... that falls within the funding guidelines and would qualify California schools for up to $700 million in aid from the US Department of Education.

Class size reduction: California drops the ball
San Francisco Chronicle (blog) - ‎19 hours ago‎
Class size reduction is being dismantled because the cuts to education stem from this lunacy of spending money we don't have.

Schwarzenegger does right thing by cutting California education budget
Examiner.com - ‎11 hours ago‎
Schwarzenegger has done a great thing by cutting educational budgets. It will force schools to use their budgets more resourcefully.

Community college students present 'demands' to Schwarzenegger
SDNN: San Diego News Network - Hoa Quach - ‎14 hours ago‎
“Without public education, we will not be able to have a future…. We deserve better.” Due to a peak in California's deficit at the start of the recession, ..


State News: 1/5/2010

Database: See Who Is Lobbying State Government -- During the first nine months of the year, interest groups spent $206 million lobbying state government. That's enough to pay the salaries of all 2,200 legislative staffers and legislators during the same period -- and still have about $98 million left. PHILLIP REESE in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/5/1


CFT In the News:  1/2 – 4, 2010

Editorial: Assembly should pass bill to name, repair 10 worst California schools
San Jose Mercury News - ‎1/4/10
It's opposed by the Association of California School Administrators, the California Federation of Teachers and the California Teachers Association,

A perfect storm on March 4?
Western Edition - Kathy Emery - ‎Jan 2, 2010‎
The California Federation of Teachers is supporting both AB 656 - a severance tax on CA oil production - and Close the Loophole to prevent further cuts to ...

California Faculty Association Coerces Members' Beliefs
American Thinker - Leila Beckwith - ‎Jan 2, 2010‎
A similar resolution has been passed by the California Federation of Teachers, which represents one hundred thousand teachers from kindergarten through the ...

Education News:  1/2-4, 2010

Race to the top

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