Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, September 26, 2013

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, September 26, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Moms protest breastfeeding rules at Poway district







Education Headlines

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Budgetary juggling act

School districts are questioning San Joaquin County's decision to withhold nearly $900,000 in state ROP funding.

District Attorney investigating two Hacienda La Puente board members

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has launched an investigation into two board members with the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District regarding possible illegalities stemming from unauthorized trips to China, the newspaper has learned.

Measure A is 'for the kids' in Lagunitas district

Measure A on the Nov. 5 ballot calls for a $5 million school bond issue to upgrade classrooms and libraries, "enhance student access to technology," and renovate school facilities including playgrounds, heating and ventilation systems.

Should Long Beach shell out $100K yearly to keep a one-room Catalina Island schoolhouse open?

The little red schoolhouse in Catalina Island's tiny village of Two Harbors has kept its doors open since 1987, despite fluctuating enrollment. At its busiest, two dozen students have attended Two Harbors Elementary School, which has just one room. At its slowest a mere three students have attended.

Some API test scores stripped from Inland Empire schools after irregularities

Academic Performance Index test scores from some schools in the Ontario-Montclair, Fontana Unified and Claremont Unified school districts recently were eliminated because of misconduct or cheating claims.

Fiscal deadline looms for Orland schools

By Oct. 8, the Orland Joint Unified School District must have a plan in place that will describe how $1.21 million will be trimmed from the district's roughly $16 million budget.

Fresno Unified trustees commit $20m to retiree benefits

In an effort to make good on its promise to pay certain retiree benefits and protect its credit rating, Fresno Unified School District is committing about $20 million in reserves to help fund retired employee health plans.

Costa Mesa schools to get safety officer

An armed police officer is once again patrolling Costa Mesa’s two high schools, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District announced Wednesday.

Moms protest breastfeeding rules at Poway district

A couple dozen breast-feeding mothers staged a “nurse-in” protest Wednesday morning in front of the Poway Unified School District’s offices in Carmel Mountain Ranch.

Schools chief Rick Miller hired in Santa Ana

Riverside schools Superintendent Rick Miller resigned Wednesday, Sept. 25, to lead Santa Ana schools, officials said. After five years in Riverside, Miller told the school board earlier this month he was in talks to become the Santa Ana Unified School District superintendent. No formal announcement was made until the Santa Ana school board voted Tuesday night, Sept. 24, to hire Miller.

Who pays if L.A. Unified students lose or break iPads?

Another issue in the Los Angeles Unified School District's $1-billion effort to equip every student with an iPad surfaced Wednesday: Are parents liable if their child breaks or loses the tablet?
Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Lakeside bond passes unanimously

Until Tuesday night's board meeting, the Lakeside Union School District had $10.1 million in debt coming due on June 1, 2014 and no way to pay it. But after weeks of cooperation between taxpayers and officials, the board voted unanimously to issue controversial bonds in order to refinance the debt.

Fillmore schools subtract Algebra II requirement

With mounting concerns that failure to pass Algebra II may keep many Fillmore High School students from graduating, a key administrator said Tuesday that math standards would change to accommodate those students.

Monterey Peninsula USD doubts seriousness of petition for new charter school

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District trustees have denied a request to approve the California Classical Language Academy Charter School, one of three charter petitions the district is scheduled to consider this year.

Federal judge dismisses case against Sac City school closures

A federal judge today dismissed a case brought by a dozen parents who sought to block the Sacramento City Unified School District from closing seven elementary campuses.