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.

1-6-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

Weingarten Is A Sham

Randi Weingarten told Politico today that she is beginning a national campaign called “VAM is a Sham.”  NEW TACTIC ON TEACHER EVALUATIONS: Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, is launching a campaign against using value-added metrics to evaluate teacher effectiveness. Her mantra: “VAM is a sham.” That’s a notable shift for the AFT and its affiliates, which have previ

by Jim Horn / 21min 

A Reality-Based Review of 2013 Market-Driven Research

Teachers unions exist to protect teachers and to do so they must work collaboratively within the system so it will better serve all stakeholders. The Shanker Istitute's Matt DiCarlo exemplifies our unions' willingness to listen to all sides.But, where is the Matt DiCarlo of corporate reform? Where is a reformer who is will break ranks, for instance, on Washington D.C.'s IMPACT? There are plenty of

by John Thompson / 37min 

1-5-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: Pearson's aimsweb Behavior ModuleIf you like Pearson's DIBELS-style nonsense reading test for young children, you are sure to find a place for Pearson's Behavior Module for turning children in test-passing robots.  Like Pearson's other product lines in the aimsweb suite, it is entirely web-based so that your children's records can be stored for as long as there is a reason to manip

by mike simpson / 23h