California to Use Deflation in Assessing Property Taxes

California to Use Deflation in Assessing Property Taxes - NYTimes.com

LOS ANGELES — Long used to manageable property tax bills, California homeowners have been lamenting over the last few years that their assessments did not reflect the enormous slide in the value of so many homes here.

Now, for the first time in more than 30 years — since a law was enacted limiting the amount property taxes could rise — property tax bills will reflect negative price inflation, reducing most homeowners’ tax bills come January.

Opponents sue to stop strong mayor plan. KJ probably thrilled.

Sacramento News & Review > Blogs > SNOG > Opponents sue to stop strong mayor plan. KJ probably thrilled. > December 1, 2009

If Kevin Johnson wins his strong mayor campaign, he may look back and say that today was pivotal.

This morning KJ’s opponents filed a lawsuit against the city to try and get Johnson’s strong mayor initiative (SMI) taken off of the ballot. In the process, they may be giving up some of the moral (and political) high ground they had.

Lawsuit challenges Sacramento's strong-mayor initiative

Lawsuit challenges Sacramento's strong-mayor initiative - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor proposal should be removed from the June 2010 ballot because it violates the state constitution, a lawsuit filed Tuesday states.

Opponents of the proposal said it calls for sweeping revisions of the city charter. According to the lawsuit, revisions can be proposed to voters only by a governing body such as a City Council or elected charter commission – not through the initiative process.

Marcos Breton: Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is his own worst enemy

Marcos Breton: Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is his own worst enemy - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

If Kevin Johnson could have avoided serious injuries as an NBA player, who knows where he would be now?

The fiery point guard for the Phoenix Suns might have made the Basketball Hall of Fame, led a different life and never become mayor of Sacramento.

Salida Union scrambling after $760,000 error found - Local - Modbee.com

Salida Union scrambling after $760,000 error found - Local - Modbee.com:

"SALIDA -- A $760,000 miscalculation could lead to a deeper round of budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year.

Officials at the 2,900-student Salida Union School District recently stumbled across a budget gap of nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

The error presents a daunting task for district officials, who estimated the need to trim $1.3 million from next year's budget before the additional shortfall."

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

FIGHT FOR YOUR STUDENTS. FIGHT FOR YOUR PROFESSION.

LAUSD IS TRYING TO:

•  give away our schools to outside operators

•  force “furlough” days and 12% salary cuts on employees

Giving away schools to outside operators will hurt students by closing the doorsto many students and handing sites over to unaccountable outside operators.

Furlough days and salary cuts will hurt students by driving teachers out of LAUSD and further deprofessionalizing teaching.

WHO WILL BE HURT MOST BY THESE ACTIONS? Our students.

WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE FIGHTING BACK!

OUR STUDENTS CAN’T TAKE ANY MORE CUTS

On December 8, the LAUSD School Board will be voting on the District budget for 2010-2011 and beyond. UTLA will be out in force to protest the giveaway of schools and any more cuts to the classroom. Be there!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Picketing and rally after school

In front of LAUSD Headquarters

333 S. Beaudry, Los Angeles, 90017

Please remember: Don’t schedule parent conferences on December 8. Your School Leadership

Council has the contractual right to set the schedule for parent conferences.

LGBT Bigotry Through Academic Intolerance | NEWS JUNKIE POST

LGBT Bigotry Through Academic Intolerance NEWS JUNKIE POST:

"This is the story of Dan DeLong, an honors English teacher in Piasa, Illinois. Last month, Mr. DeLong gave his students an assignment that asked them to read a paper on homosexuality in the animal kingdom. His quick suspension brought the issues of LGBT bigotry and academic freedom to the forefront.

The paper titled “The effeminate sheep and other problems with Darwinian sexual selection” was written by a professor at Stanford University, published in a popular science magazine, and readily available in most public libraries. The article is an interesting analysis of the evolutionary ramifications of homosexuality in the animal kingdom."

Capitol Alert: Assembly plans session on 'Race to the Top' bill

Capitol Alert: Assembly plans session on 'Race to the Top' bill:

"The Assembly is set to take another step toward taking up 'Race to the Top' legislation tomorrow, when it will convene for the first reading of its version of legislation aimed at ensuring California schools are eligible for the federal competitive grants.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass informed lower house offices yesterday that a check-in session was scheduled for Wednesday.

The Assembly is set to introduce at the session its version of the 'Race to the Top' legislation, spokespersons for Bass and Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica, said Monday."

Sacramento Press / Unique elementary school in South Sacramento to celebrate the winter season

Sacramento Press / Unique elementary school in South Sacramento to celebrate the winter season:

"One of the best kept secrets of the South Sacramento area is a small, private school tucked away in the Lanai Shopping Center on Freeport Boulevard, neighboring the Sacramento Executive Airport, where it has existed in rented space for 21 years.

Over the years, most of the shopping center tenants have moved away. Meanwhile, countless hours of parent, teacher and student work have gone into transforming a run-down property into a school with colorful classrooms and playgrounds.

It has an understated entrance, but Camellia Waldorf School is an oasis for children."

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Is College Only for the Rich? Student Organizing for College Affordability

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

With fees increasing 32% for University of California students, amid passionate protests, college affordability is making headlines once again, at a time when college affordability reform legislation awaits action in the Senate.

This panel will examine the implications of the tuition debate in California, and look ahead at efforts to make college more affordable and accessible on the institutional, state, and federal levels.Speakers for this event include Victor Sanchez, president of the University of California Student Association; Bruce Cain, executive director of the University of California, Washington Center; Angus Johnston, a historian of student social movements, and blogger at http://www.studentactivism.net/; and Campus Progress's Pedro de la Torre, a policy expert on student financial aid.

The panel will be moderated by Erica Williams, deputy director of Campus Progress. Aren't in the area? View the livestream here.You must RSVP to attend. This event is free and open to the public.Food and Refreshments will be served.Sponsored by Campus Progress and the United States Student Association, and US PIRG.For more information, please email speakers@campusprogress.org.

The Perimeter Primate: A Real Crisis

The Perimeter Primate: A Real Crisis

A Real Crisis

As Richard Rothstein, David Berliner and Bruce Biddle, and others have reported, schools have been steadily providing an ever-increasing level of education to American students, despite all the constant haranguing we hear about about an education “crisis” today.

Crisis: 1a. A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point. b. An unstable condition, as in political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive change (American Heritage Dictionary)

There was never a golden age of education prior to this era, unless it was the time when public schools and their teachers were not under this current aggressive and vicious attack, which was initiated and is being sustained by the corporate class. It is they, using political puppets, who have actually now created a true crisis in public education, by invading school districts to implement their chaotic transformation!

The war against public schools, and the teachers who work in them, is serving two purposes. One, in the true neo-liberal fashion, it is paving the way to the privatization of public education. Secondly, the constant chatter and bickering is serving as a distraction from more important issues and crises which the corporate/political leadership refuses to address.

The Edurati Review: Why Instructional Time Matters

The Edurati Review: Why Instructional Time Matters

Why Instructional Time Matters

But time keeps flowing like a river (on and on)
To the sea, to the sea
’til it's gone forever…At least that’s what the Alan Parsons Project suggested in their hit song. But poets and songwriters aren’t the only ones seemingly consumed by the passage of time. Educators frequently talk about the concept, discussing “time-on-task,” school start and end times, and the length of the school year. What’s behind this preoccupation with instructional time? Does it matter if the school day is interrupted for pep rallies, award assemblies, announcements from the office, and the like? Isn’t the school calendar that revolves around the needs of an agrarian culture adequate for today’s students? Why does nearly every conversation with teachers end up being a discussion of time and the lack of it in classrooms?

Teachers have sound reasons for being concerned about time. More than 100 years of research suggests a significant correlation between time spent learning and the amount of learning that results. As memory expert Alan Baddeley describes it, “In short, as far as learning is concerned, you get what you pay for.”1 The relationship between this research finding and teaching may seem obvious, but let’s dive deeper into the research and its implications.Researchers originally connected expertise in playing the violin with the amount of time spent in individual practice. They found that experts spent more than 10,000 hours practicing, while lesser experts spent about 7500 hours practicing, accomplished experts spent around 5000 hours practicing, and committed amateurs spent around 1500 hours practicing. While the numbers fluctuate slightly, the general range has remained surprisingly consistent as researchers examined expertise levels in other disciplines.2

GoToServiceLearning :: Service-Learning Lesson Plans for Teachers

GoToServiceLearning :: Service-Learning Lesson Plans for Teachers:

"Our Mission.

how can this website help your students?

GoToServiceLearning presents teachers with best-practice service-learning experiences meeting state-mandated academic standards - each uploaded onto the site according to an easy to use searchable template. For our launch, which coincides with the 2009 National Middle School Association Conference, we are pleased to feature outstanding lesson plans used in middle schools from across the country.

More than half of these initial entries incorporate a STEM subject (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and combined, they incorporate a wide variety of service themes. We invite you to search this site and explore the plans, all submitted by teachers just like you!"

Survey Shows Gaps in Expectations of High Schools - High School Connections - Education Week

Survey Shows Gaps in Expectations of High Schools - High School Connections - Education Week:

"A new survey uncovers an interesting gap between what low-income parents and students want from high school and what high school educators see as their main job. Check out the Deloitte 2009 Education Survey.

UPDATE: Technology issues forced Deloitte to take the report on the study off of their website, but they forwarded it to us so you can take a look while they are solving that problem. Here it is."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled...

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled...:

Two Different Bids for More School Money

"Almost everyone wants more money for schools right now. The debate is over how to get it.

Some San Diego parents are pushing California to change its laws for a shot at a second dose of school stimulus money. Their hope is that if California changes its rules to suit the federal government, it could get as much as $500 million to help plug school deficits statewide. The school board is also interested in more money, but it may push California in another direction, nudging the state to look at new or different taxes.

The split reveals the differing views in San Diego Unified on how the state should ease its budget crisis."

Higher Education Fiscal Crisis Protects the Wealthy | California Progress Report

Higher Education Fiscal Crisis Protects the Wealthy California Progress Report:

"Police are arresting and attacking student protesters on University of California (UC) campuses again. “Why did he beat me I wasn’t doing anything,” screamed a young Cal Berkeley woman student over KPFA radio on Friday evening November 20. Students are protesting the 32% increase in tuition imposed by the UC Regents in a time of severe state deficits. The Board of Regents claims that they have no choice. Students will now have to pay over $10,000 in tuition annually for a public university education that was free only a few decades ago.

The corporate media spins the tuition protests as if we are all suffering during the recession. For example, the San Diego Union Tribune November 20 writes, “These students need a course in Reality 101. And the reality is that there is virtually no segment of American society that is not straining with the economic recession. With UC facing a $535 million budget gap due to state cuts, the regents have to confront reality and make tough choices. So should students.”"

California’s Public Universities: Harder To Get Into | California Progress Report

California’s Public Universities: Harder To Get Into California Progress Report:

"Gaining admission to California’s public universities is becoming more difficult. Not only are the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) increasing student fees in response to state budget cuts, they are also reducing enrollment. The decisions to cut enrollments come at a time when applications to the UC and CSU are increasing.

Last week, the UC President proposed cutting 2010-11 freshman enrollment by 2,300 students if the UC does not receive an increase in state funding. The proposal follows a reduction of 2,300 to freshman enrollment made in 2009-10. The decision to reduce UC enrollment comes after two years of increasing freshman applications to the UC."

The Educated Guess » Riverside Unified in vanguard of digital texts

The Educated Guess » Riverside Unified in vanguard of digital texts:

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drew national attention last May when he proclaimed a free digital textbook initiative. He caught a second wave of publicity three months later when he declared that 10 of the vetted digital science and math texts were well aligned to state standards and were ready for downloading.
Since then, it’s been pretty much of a dud, which is not all that surprising. August was too close to the opening of school for most schools to switch textbooks – even for free. And the cash-strapped state was offering no incentives and, more importantly, no training for teachers on how to integrate them into the classroom."

Mich. Senate ready to OK bills in hopes of qualifying for fed aid | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Mich. Senate ready to OK bills in hopes of qualifying for fed aid detnews.com The Detroit News:

"Lansing -- Lawmakers returned from Thanksgiving break Monday, determined to push through K-12 education reforms in time to meet a Jan. 19 deadline to qualify for more than $400 million in federal school funding.

The Legislature typically breaks the third week of December and doesn't return until late January -- meaning lawmakers have just weeks to enact reforms, including fast-track teacher certification, additional charter schools and linking teachers' evaluations with students' test scores.

Following a months-long stalemate between Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Senate Republicans over funding for K-12 and higher education, there are indications lawmakers may come to a rare consensus on federal Race to the Top reforms."

2theadvocate.com | News | Grant writers eye school prize — Baton Rouge, LA

2theadvocate.com News Grant writers eye school prize — Baton Rouge, LA:

"Louisiana’s bid for a $250 million education prize is being led by a pair of 20-somethings with lofty credentials.

One is Chris Meyer, 27, who recently finished a year as a White House Fellow assigned to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and traveled to 30 countries.
The other is Jacob Landry, 26, who spent a year studying politics in France, among other honors.

At stake is whether the state will be one of the winners in the $4.4 billion “Race to the Top” contest, in which federal officials plan to reward a dozen or so states which are creating conditions for innovation and reform."