Community college first: a parcel tax
The San Mateo County Community College District will make history in June if district voters pass a $34 parcel tax. It will be the first time, as far as anyone can tell, that one of the state’s 72 districts will have approved such a measure. Other districts will be waiting and watching.
It’s a sign of desperate times that the board of trustees decided to venture into what has been the province of K-12 districts. But, on a positive note, it’s an indication of the public’s growing recognition of the importance of community colleges – and their plight – that trustees are confident the ballot measure will pass. District spokeswoman Barbara Christensen said that polling indicates about 73 percent of likely voters favor the tax. But with a 3-4 percent margin of error, there’s also no room for confidence.
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It’s a sign of desperate times that the board of trustees decided to venture into what has been the province of K-12 districts. But, on a positive note, it’s an indication of the public’s growing recognition of the importance of community colleges – and their plight – that trustees are confident the ballot measure will pass. District spokeswoman Barbara Christensen said that polling indicates about 73 percent of likely voters favor the tax. But with a 3-4 percent margin of error, there’s also no room for confidence.
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Special ed option for laid-off teachers
Posted in Teacher DevelopmentA one-year-old nonprofit is serving as a matchmaker between an abundant supply of soon to be laid-off teachers and a critical shortage of special education instructors. As a result, at least several thousand vacant special ed positions likely will be filled this fall by teachers who would otherwise be looking at unemployment or substitute teaching.
The California Teacher Corps announced this week that it is expediting efforts at retraining teachers who are interested in becoming certified to teach special education. The Corps represents alternative certification programs, which are particularly suited for individuals seeking second careers as teachers and, in this case, for teachers interested in working with handicapped children.
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The California Teacher Corps announced this week that it is expediting efforts at retraining teachers who are interested in becoming certified to teach special education. The Corps represents alternative certification programs, which are particularly suited for individuals seeking second careers as teachers and, in this case, for teachers interested in working with handicapped children.
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No longer highest paid teachers
Posted in Taxes, payTeachers in California no longer earn, on average, the most of any state in the nation. New York has taken over that distinction.
California has the second highest student to teacher ratio in the nation (20.9:1), next to Utah’s 21.4. And its spending per student has fallen two notches to 43rd in the nation.
These are some of the statistics from the National Education Association’s annual report Rankings and Estimates for 2010. There aren’t many surprises, given the state’s fiscal mess. And since most of the data comes form the 2008-’09 year, figures on school spending will likely deteriorate, relative to the rest of the nation, over the next two years.
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California has the second highest student to teacher ratio in the nation (20.9:1), next to Utah’s 21.4. And its spending per student has fallen two notches to 43rd in the nation.
These are some of the statistics from the National Education Association’s annual report Rankings and Estimates for 2010. There aren’t many surprises, given the state’s fiscal mess. And since most of the data comes form the 2008-’09 year, figures on school spending will likely deteriorate, relative to the rest of the nation, over the next two years.
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