FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, January 6, 2014

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Education Headlines

Monday, January 6, 2014

FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.

Palm Desert elementary principal apologizes for not calling 911

A Palm Desert elementary school principal apologized Friday for not authorizing her staff to dial 911 after a student injured himself on campus in November.

Bill takes on officials’ fundraising

School and college district administrators would be banned from raising campaign cash for the board members that they serve under a bill to be introduced this week by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez.

Common Core, funding rules usher in change for 2014

Inland schools are grappling with major changes in 2014 both in the classroom and the way they create budgets. They are moving to Common Core State Standards and setting up Local Control Accountability Plans to guide new spending priorities.

Denair Unified School District preparing for teacher strike

Denair Unified’s labor dispute with its teachers will come to a boil in the days ahead and substitute teachers say they’re being asked if they will cross the picket lines if the union votes to strike.

Contra Costa sheriff's office to pick up tab for Byron school resource officer

Byron Union will retain its school resource officer for the remainder of the school year, as the Contra Costa sheriff's office announced last week it will pick up the tab.

L.A. Unified finally hiring teachers again

After years of layoffs and hiring freezes, the Los Angeles Unified School District expects to hire more than 1,300 for next year. And it can even be choosy.

Fensterwald: Draft regs detail how much districts must spend on high-needs students

The draft regulations that districts have been waiting for to guide their decisions under the Local Control Funding Formula are now out. On Jan. 16, the State Board of Education will vote to adopt them, setting in motion six months of planning leading to districts’ first budgets subject to new accountability requirements under the state’s new K-12 finance system.

New computer-only format of GED exam spurs competing tests

The revamped GED exam does away with pencil-to-paper test sheets. High school equivalency exams from two other test providers will let students take tests on paper or computer.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Employees ratify new agreement

The Tracy Unified unit of the California School Employees Association earlier this week ratified a tentative agreement reached with the school district on Dec. 5.

'Do the Math': Local students filmed for educational TV show

At Bauer-Speck Elementary School on Thursday, a half-dozen unsuspecting fifth-graders were led to a classroom where they discovered that Bakersfield math teacher Michael Cushine was preparing to film a segment for the TV show "Do the Math."

Educators, businesses join forces for workforce training council

The Humboldt County Office of Education has created a coordinating council to align business, workforce and economic development with education and training to strengthen the county's economy.

Charter school group calls for closure of West Sacramento school

The California Charter Schools Association called Thursday for the closure of a West Sacramento charter school that is run by UC Davis, Sacramento City College and the Washington Unified School District.

‘Mean girls’ dropped: Cheer coaches fired for molding snobby high school squad

El Segundo High School has fired its two longtime cheer coaches after members of the team and parents complained that they contributed to a “Mean Girls” culture by playing favorites, issuing threats and ostracizing certain girls, among other things.