The Educated Guess Still missing: common-core nominees

The Educated Guess

Still missing: common-core nominees

Posted in Common Core standards

The final national common-core standards are due out today, but Gov. Schwarzenegger has still yet to announce his nominations for half of the members of the committee that is supposed to recommend by mid-July whether the state should adopt, reject or modify them.
The continued delay has led to speculation on which way Schwarzenegger is leaning – or whether he’s still making up his mind.
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By John Fensterwald on June 2nd, 2010

Schwarzenegger: We’re too big to ignore

Posted in Race to the Top

In their Race to the Top applications, some states have downplayed the lack of union support for their reforms. You have read deep into the applications to get the real numbers.
Not California. In his May 28 cover letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncanaccompanying the state’s second-round application (download pdf), Gov. Schwarzenegger wears union opposition as a badge of honor.
He wrote that the California Teachers Association “actively worked to prevent union support” for the state’s effort. Then he added, “I urge you not to penalize states like California that have submitted a detailed plan meeting all the goals of Race to the Top but have not gotten unanimous support of teachers unions. To do this would not only put at grave risk the ultimate goals embodied in Race to the Top, but it would send a message to some unions that their obstructionist tactics can work.”
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By John Fensterwald on June 2nd, 2010

Half of English learners left behind

Posted in English learners

A new report on English learners in California is indicting and disturbing. At the end of elementary school, half of English learners still lack basic fluency in academic English. Their future in school is bleak without it.
Long-term English learners – students who have been in school at least six years without becoming proficient in English — will fall father behind once they arrive in middle or high school. Ninety percent are two or more years behind in math and English language arts and have gotten at least two Ds or Fs in the past year. By the time they are juniors in high school, three-quarters will be testing at the bottom – basic or far below basic – in math and English on state tests.
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By John Fensterwald on June 1st, 2010