School performance data can be deceptive
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Compared to most states, California is performing abysmally when it comes to schools making "adequate yearly progress" as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind law.
According to a new report from the Center on Education Policy, 61 percent of California schools failed to makeadequate yearly progress in raising test scores as required by the federal No Child Left Behind law. By comparison, a mere 5 percent of schools in Texas failed to do so.
But the disparities between California and other states actually say little about how well the the Golden State's
Some companies skirt state income tax
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Amid ongoing debate in Washington about corporate tax reform, some of the largest companies in California are paying well below the required income tax.
Of the largest 25 companies in the state, measured by revenue, roughly half reported they paid close to the full tab or more for last year. But more than a third reported a tax rate of less than 25 percent – well below the required 35 percent U.S. income tax rate for corporations. (For a full list, see below.)
While these companies are all likely complying with U.S. tax laws, various loopholes make it possible to skirt