Wednesday, November 4, 2009

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Bright and Early




voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Bright and Early:

"I am informed that a school news item I picked up yesterday from Indiana was not, in fact, from Indianapolis but rather from the now famed town of Churubusco. Duly chastened, I return to give you another, geographically correct newsblitz:

We bring you the findings from a just-the-facts-ma'am report report that looks at San Diego Unified from test scores to finances. It's meant to be the beginning of a conversation about how parents, philanthropists and business leaders can help improve schools. But the next steps are unclear. Researchers also found that two options floated to revamp schools, mayoral control and expanding the school board, would lead to battles at the ballot box."

Chula Vista Star News reporter Jon Campbell turned up an amazing story on how Sweetwater Superintendent Jesus Gandara failed to notify the school board and repeatedly denied publicly that he was seeking a job in Austin -- despite the fact that documents from Texas point to him being a candidate. If true, it would be grounds for his termination, the Star News reports. More will certainly come on this story.

KPBS reports that San Diego Unified could get as much as $74 million in federal loans to pay for solar energy projects at schools. The only problem is it has to pay it back -- and if it doesn't think it can reasonably do it, it can't accept all that money. The UT has also reported on this.