Greater flexibility in spending hurts low-achieving students
U.S. Census Bureau
A $4.5 billion experiment intended to give schools greater flexibility over state education dollars has resulted in cutbacks in some programs targeting students who need the most academic help.
That is among the findings of a report issued this week by the RAND Corporation and Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). The study looked at the fallout of a 2009 decision [PDF] by lawmakers to give districts complete flexibility in how they spend what is referred to in school finance vernacular as "categorical" programs.
Over the years, the state has introduced a kaleidoscope of 60 such programs [PDF], on every possible aspect of school life, from child nutrition and libraries to foster youth services and high school counseling. And for years, school officials have complained that the programs involve too much bookkeeping and red tape.
Oroville high school district stops blocking gay websites
Dundee Photographics/freedigitalphotos.net
A Northern California high school district is no longer restricting access to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy websites after the American Civil Liberties Union recently intervened on behalf of a student.
"I wanted to start a gay-straight alliance at my school,” said Melina Zancanella, a 16-year-old junior at Oroville
Latino population growing slower than in other states
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
The Hispanic/Latino population in California grew at a substantially slower clip over the past decade than in the rest of the nation, according to figures released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
From 2000 to 2010, the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population grew 43 percent to nearly 50.5 million. More than half
State opens seismic retrofit fund to thousands of schools
Flickr photo by dmjarveyThe State Allocation Board voted to free up access to a $200 million seismic repair fund for public schools.
State officials voted yesterday to expand access to a $200 million fund created for urgent seismic repairs at California's public schools.
The move came in response to complaints that restrictive rules created by the Schwarzenegger administration had blocked the funds from thousands of schools.
The State Allocation Board, which controls funding for school repairs and construction, approved new rules that