FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, April 23, 2014

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Autism cases increase by 8% among Calif. public school students

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Education Headlines

Wednesday, April 23, 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.

Stockton USD to vote on charter in May

The Stockton Unified School District has 30 days to decide if it will recommend approval of a new dual immersion language and International Baccalaureate charter school on Fremont Street.

Gonzales schools banking on bond

The school bond initiative would provide $16.9 million toward building a new elementary school and upgrades at La Gloria Elementary and Fairview Middle schools.

Monterey school district delays naming superintendent

The contract was ready to be approved. A recess to welcome the new top administrator was on the agenda. But at the last minute, plans to appoint a new superintendent for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District were dropped from Tuesday's regular trustee meeting.

Autism cases increase by 8% among Calif. public school students

The number of California public school students who have been diagnosed with autism increased by 8% from 2013 to 2014, bringing the total number of diagnosed children in the state to nearly 79,000, according to data from the state Department of Education, the Sacramento Bee reports.

California's drought ripples through businesses, then to schools

One area that has officials worried is the effect on education in places affected by the drought. Jane Brittell, the principal at Lorena Falasco Elementary School in Los Banos, a town about 35 miles north of Mendota, says she's worried that the drought will force families to leave and pull their kids out of school.

Bond firm's gifts to California school officials probed

California’s political watchdog is investigating whether school officials failed to report gifts from municipal bond underwriter Stone & Youngberg, now a unit of Stifel Financial Corp. (SF)

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Common Core boosts push for technology in classrooms

If there’s one thing certain about Common Core, it’s that technology will play a much bigger role in Ventura County classrooms.

Yoga program to expand beyond Encinitas

The foundation that brought yoga to Encinitas elementary schools will hold an open house to announce plans to expand the program nationally Wednesday night.

Sweetwater board backs agreement with teachers

The three remaining trustees on the Sweetwater Union High School District board voted unanimously Monday to approve a contract agreement with the district’s teachers union.

Credit card spending could cost Van Nuys school its charter

Charter High School of the Arts in Van Nuys could lose its charter because officials failed to act when a former employee racked up $27,000 in personal expenses on her school credit card.

Orinda school board refuses to hear complaint against principal

Three years after hearing complaints from parents about what they claim is strict and overly harsh punishment of students by an elementary school principal, a majority of Orinda School District trustees have voted down an appeal to hear a new complaint filed by a teacher against the administrator.

D.A. says no charges warranted over L.A. schools' iPad contract

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office has reviewed an internal L.A. school district report on its iPad contract and concluded that criminal charges are not warranted.

EdSource: Santa Ana Unified caters to parents to boost accountability meeting attendance

Retired principal Frances Byfield used translators, meals, babysitting, and prize raffles to motivate parents to attend the district’s 23 LCAP community workshops. Each meeting venue was prepped in advance to identify locations to set up audio-visual equipment, childcare services, and meals consisting of turkey sandwiches in the evenings and coffeecake in the mornings.