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Thursday, February 13, 2014

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California leads nation in new charter schools and students


Education Headlines

Thursday, February 13, 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.

Moorpark school superintendent to retire June 30

Moorpark Unified School District Superintendent Teresa Williams announced Tuesday that she will be retiring and her last day with the district will be June 30.

Simi Valley school trustees take up financial matters

After weeks of talking about closing schools, Simi Valley trustees broadened their discussion to money matters this week, taking up their future budget, a potential bond measure and the sale of surplus property.

Rowland teachers call for new superintendent

Just minutes after the Rowland Unified School District school board evaluated their superintendent behind closed doors Tuesday night, a steady stream of teachers evaluated him in public — in front of all gathered inside a packed board room.

Monterey Peninsula USD working through its math problem

Students are refining and improving their algebra knowledge with a computer program called Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces, or ALEKS, which evaluates students' skills before giving them more challenging problems.

Long Beach charter New City Public Schools avoids California Dept. of Education disciplinary action

New City Public Schools will not be disciplined by the state for failing to meet targets on standardized tests.

Fresno Unified says confidential information will be secure

Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson assured parents Wednesday night that confidential information about district schools and students sent to a research institution at Stanford University will be secure.

Los Al school board OKs graduation at church hall

Two middle-school graduations and a concert will be held at a local megachurch this year despite arguments by a parent and atheist group that it would violate the separation of church and state.

Ocean View to overhaul tech gear, infrastructure

The Ocean View School District has developed standards for what type of technology to have in its classrooms, announcing a massive overhaul of the district's technology and infrastructure costing about $1.9 million.

No contract yet for OC Dept. of Ed. workers

About 20 school staff members demonstrated outside the Orange County Department of Education on Wednesday to boost support for their union’s push for cost-of-living increase, a one-time pay increase and a boost to the cap on health care benefits.

As budget improves, Folsom Cordova Unified gives employees 5 percent bonuses

As K-12 districts begin seeing more state money, nearly 2,000 employees in Folsom Cordova schools will receive one-time bonus checks next month equal to 5 percent of pay.

San Ysidro mediated talks to go to round three

“Unfortunately, the status remains the same.” So responded Gloria Madera, interim superintendent for the San Ysidro School District, in an email to U-T San Diego when asked about recent state-mediated labor talks between the district and the teachers union.

County board of ed approves Sweetwater districts

The San Diego County Board of Education, acting as a committee on school district organization, approved a proposal Wednesday to have voters elect Sweetwater school trustees from geographic areas within the district, a move that a citizens group says will improve representation.

Santa Clara County schools chief chosen as finalist to head Texas district

Xavier De La Torre, the embattled chief of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, late Wednesday was named the lone finalist for superintendent of the Ysleta Independent School District in El Paso.

School's late-night alarms upset Oakland neighbors

Neighbors say the alarm has gone off about six times in the past 10 months, many times shaking them from their slumber. It has stayed on for as short as 15 minutes, they say, and as long as five hours.

High-paid Centinela Valley Superintendent Jose Fernandez had just one performance review since 2009

Jose Fernandez, the Centinela Valley school superintendent who amassed $663,000 in total compensation last year, has been formally evaluated by the school board only once since he was given one of the most lucrative contracts in the state in 2009.

California leads nation in new charter schools and students

California led the country in opening new charter schools this fiscal year, adding 104 campuses and 48,000 students, according to a report released Wednesday.

State schools superintendent endorses mandatory child abuse training legislation

Tom Torlakson, state Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced his support Wednesday for legislation that would require school districts to train employees in identifying and reporting suspected child abuse.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Salinas joins effort to save ag education funding

As if the drought gripping California wasn’t enough to worry about, hundreds of Salinas Valley youths face the drying up of a key source of funding if Gov. Jerry Brown succeeds in eliminating $4.1 million for high school agriculture programs.

Monterey Peninsula USD transcript changes: Policies to blame, report says

Unclear and contradictory board policies and practices at the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District paved the way for changing the transcripts of 93 students. That was one of the major conclusions reached by Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Kotowski and her team of investigators after they conducted an audit behind the changes to the transcripts.

Novato school district planning use for Hamilton property

Novato Unified School District has been gifted a large piece of property from the military and district leaders are now trying to figure out what to do with it.

Ex-school board member charged with stealing $750,000

A former board member for a Newport Beach-based charter school district was arrested this week on charges he stole $750,000 in school funds for personal use.

San Ysidro schools face $12M judgment

A San Diego County Superior Court jury on Tuesday awarded a solar-power company $12 million in damages against the San Ysidro School District, already facing significant financial troubles.

StudentsFirst forming small donor campaign fund for local, state elections

Sacramento-based StudentsFirst is seeking to expand its political clout in California by asking its members to contribute to a new election campaign fund.

Fensterwald: Charter schools association continues push to weed out low-scoring schools

Upping its campaign to root out what it views as its lowest performing schools, the California Charter Schools Association last week criticized a San Jose school district for allowing a charter school to open two more campuses next year.

L.A. school board rejects proposal to put a caretaker in vacant seat

A proposal to appoint a caretaker to a vacant Los Angeles Board of Education seat failed Tuesday when a majority of the remaining trustees refused to support it.