FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, August 3, 2012

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Education Headlines

Friday, August 3, 2012

West Contra Costa school district finalizes terms of parcel tax, bond measures

The West Contra Costa school district Wednesday settled on the terms of parcel tax and bond measures that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. The proposed parcel tax will be a five-year extension of a tax passed in 2008 providing $9.6 million annually for five years beginning July 1, 2014.

Clayton Valley Charter High School launches transition program for incoming freshmen

Nearly 500 incoming freshmen converged upon Clayton Valley Charter High this week for a transition program aimed at helping to bridge from middle to high school.

Despite tough times for education, construction and renovation projects continue

Even as public school districts find their budgets shrinking, necessitating painful cuts to programs and staff, construction is under way at many school sites.

Incoming 7th-graders must be vaccinated for whooping cough

With a new school year on the horizon, state health and school officials are reminding families that all incoming seventh-graders must be vaccinated for whooping cough before returning to class.

California reaches deep into special funds to pay for schools, prisons, social services

California has 560 funds deemed "special" because in theory they're walled off from general state expenditures. In the face of two recessions, however, California reached deeper into those funds for purposes that fee payers never intended. The state now owes $4.3 billion to special funds, more than five times the amount owed in 2008.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

School enrollment decline a concern?

Most schools in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties have seen student enrollments decline dramatically in the past 15 years, posing financial challenges and in some cases leaving classroom buildings empty.

Charter school offers to lease classrooms at Magnolia Elementary

A Julian-based charter school offered the Carlsbad Unified School District more than $450,000 a year Wednesday to lease 16 classrooms at Magnolia Elementary School, but school trustees decided to wait a week before deciding whether to accept the deal.

Bonita Unified officials receive updates on district projects

Bonita High School, in La Verne, will have its more than $4.8 million gym construction scheduled for completion on Aug. 28, officials said. San Dimas High School is having its gym rebuilt and other construction planned at more than $6.9 million, officials said.

Tustin bond measure asks voters to fund new school technology

Come November, voters will be asked to decide whether to approve a bond measure funding new technology in Tustin schools.The Tustin Unified School District Board of Education voted on Monday to place the bond measure on the Nov. 6 ballot, according to the district. The funds would go toward instructional technology, labs and classrooms.