"Race to top" bill may threaten Palo Alto education standards
posted December 16, 2009
by Sophie Cornfield of Verde
The standard of education in Palo Alto public school may be threatened in a bill being considered in California legislature. Taken up in the State Assembly on Dec. 9, two versions of "Race to the Top" propose various changes to the California public school system. This emergency education bill would help California secure a much-needed $4.35 billion from the Federal government's "Race to the Top" funds. Among the most controversial potential changes is the Senate's proposal to require open enrollment in all California school districts. This means that, if there is capacity, districts must accept students from other districts."It is possible that someone might say that Palo Alto has capacity," said Lauren Janov, advocacy chair for the Parent Teacher Association. "That could mean more students coming from nearby school districts and take with them the money from their struggling school districts." The State Assembly's verision of the bill does not contain this provision. Therefore, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to veto this verison if it makes it to his desk. Regardless, the Senate has chosen to carry-on with its draft.
Yet another controversial provision, endorsed by Schwarzenegger, is the Common Core State Standards Initiatives in which