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Monday, August 9, 2010

Fewer teachers, but few teacher layoffs, for Portland Public Schools | OregonLive.com

Fewer teachers, but few teacher layoffs, for Portland Public Schools | OregonLive.com

Fewer teachers, but few teacher layoffs, for Portland Public Schools

Published: Monday, August 09, 2010, 2:31 PM Updated: Monday, August 09, 2010, 2:53 PM
Portland schools have cut roughly 120 teaching positions to balance the district budget, but retirements and resignations created enough vacancies that nearly every teacher who lost his or her position will get another teaching assignment in Portland this fall, district leaders say.

At this point, among teachers who had permanent teaching positions last year, only a handful of music teachers and one or two career-technical teachers are in serious jeopardy of being laid off, district officials told principals in a memo issued Friday.


In fact, in high-demand areas such as language immersion, counseling, Spanish and special education, the district plans to hire teachers this month.

Music is the biggest trouble spot, for teachers trying to keep their jobs and for schools trying to find the right match. An experienced music teacher whose job is eliminated is eligible to claim a music teaching job in another school. But the difference between what's needed to excel at teaching elementary vocal music versus to lead a high school band can be considerable.

As of Friday, the school district's human resources department had 54 teachers who had lost their


Hard work turns around Bridger School of Southeast Portland

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By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian

August 06, 2010, 12:10PM
The small Portland school, serving students living east of SE 82nd Avenue between Stark Street and Powell Boulvevard, found itself faced with a largely poor student body, many of whom speak Spanish, Chinese, Vietmanese or Chuukese at home. The school wasn't serving them well -- but boy, did that change last year. Full story »

Beaverton's Southridge High among success stories in hitting federal 'No Child Left Behind' targets

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By Melissa Navas, The Oregonian

August 06, 2010, 12:00PM
In Hillsboro and Forest Grove school districts, success rates remain flat compared with last year. Full story »

Five Oaks teacher runs 216-mile relay -- solo -- in honor of former Beaverton student with leukemia

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By Eric Florip, The Oregonian

August 06, 2010, 9:00AM
Tigard resident Eric Salkeld runs the Cascade Lakes Relay to raise money for Children's Cancer Association, a charity picked by 14-year-old Levi Seed. Full story »
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North Clackamas, Oregon City school districts raise student fees to cope with budget problems

By Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian

August 06, 2010, 8:00AM
The North Clackamas and Oregon City school districts have increased student athletic fees for the 2010-11 school year, saying the new rates are still lower than those at a number of area schools. Full story »

Obama speech ties U.S. need for more college graduates to the economic recovery

Obama speech ties U.S. need for more college graduates to the economic recovery

Obama speech ties U.S. need for more college graduates to the economic recovery



Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 9, 2010; 3:05 PM

AUSTIN -- Saying that the country's long-term economic recovery depends on a wholesale improvement in education, President Obama on Monday pledged his administration's best efforts toward increasing the number of college graduates.
"Lifting graduation rates. Preparing our graduates to succeed in this economy. Making college affordable. That's how we'll put a higher education within reach for anyone who wants it," Obama said in prepared remarks for a speech here Monday. "That's how we'll reach our goal of once again leading the world in college graduation rates by the end of this decade."

Ortiz's late Los Rios trustee election filing assailed by opponents - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Ortiz's late Los Rios trustee election filing assailed by opponents - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Ortiz's late Los Rios trustee election filing assailed by opponents

Published: Monday, Aug. 9, 2010 - 12:47 pm
A high profile former Democratic lawmaker was allowed to file today for the Los Rios Community College District seat on the Nov. 2 ballot even though her filing deadline was Friday.
The decision to let Deborah Ortiz file late prompted claims of favoritism, and threats of a lawsuit challenging her candidacy from others in the race for the Area 6 seat.
Sacramento County election officials said today they granted the extension to Ortiz, a former state legislator and city councilwoman, because staff gave her incorrect information about the filing

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/09/2947353/ortizs-late-los-rios-trustee-election.html#mi_rss=Education#ixzz0w96ZYmjV


Three local schools will each receive $2,000 after being named winners in the Big Lots Lots2Give video contest.
San Juan Unified School District trustees are planning to raise concerns about the embattled California School Boards Association at a board meeting Tuesday.
Elk Grove Unified officials are asking for donations to help save the district's high school sports programs.


Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0w96n87xE

Education Week: Texas Schools Paying for Tutors With Mixed Track Record

Education Week: Texas Schools Paying for Tutors With Mixed Track Record

Texas Schools Paying for Tutors With Mixed Track Record

With millions spent, Texas educators question benefits of federal law.

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School districts across Texas are paying tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for private tutoring that has a mixed track record of improving student test scores.
Even districts that want to stop footing the bill to ineffective providers are not allowed. The No Child Left Behind law guarantees free tutoring to low-income students who attend schools that repeatedly miss federal academic targets. Parents get to pick the tutoring provider from a state-approved list that has grown to more than 200 for-profit and nonprofit entities.
Since the law went into effect in 2002, Texas has never removed a provider from its list

Money aplenty, but where are the real turnaround experts? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Money aplenty, but where are the real turnaround experts? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Money aplenty, but where are the real turnaround experts?

by Erika Owens on Aug 09 2010
Tim Cawley, a managing director at the Academy for Urban School Leadership, says that intensive turnaround requires "extreme reset," but many of these companies tinker around the edges. AUSL works in Chicago,

Suit seeks testing of kids at West Virginia school - Boston.com

Suit seeks testing of kids at West Virginia school - Boston.com

Suit seeks testing of kids at West Virginia school

By Vicki Smith
Associated Press Writer / August 9, 2010
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—A Raleigh County, W.Va., judge will hold a hearing later this month on a medical monitoring lawsuit claiming hundreds of children were exposed to toxic coal dust from a Massey Energy Co. processing plant and silo next to Marsh Fork Elementary School.
Williamson attorney Kevin Thompson is suing Virginia-based Massey and three subsidiaries over alleged exposure from the silo that sits about 235 feet from the school near Sundial.
Judge Harry L. Kirkpatrick III granted class-action status to the case in December, but it fell into limbo because his ruling went to an incorrect address and was returned to the courthouse in Beckley.

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