The misdirected UC “walkout” - California Progress Report

The misdirected UC “walkout” - California Progress Report:

"Many of those who shouted “Chop from the Top,” and called UC President Mark Yudof a fascist last week can’t be expected to know that history. In the mid-1990s, UC leaders, trying to protect its affirmative action program from its critics, concealed the extent to which they were maintaining blatant race preferences in its admissions policies.

More recently, fearful of the political consequences of paying competitive wages to prized executives, UC dealt lavish side benefits under the table – housing and travel allowances, cushy pensions, jobs for significant others, even a dog run for a chancellor’s pets. In at least one case, trying to avert a suit for alleged racial discrimination, it promoted an executive to a job she wasn’t remotely qualified for."

Follow Lee County schools on Twitter, but not during school | news-press.com | The News-Press

Follow Lee County schools on Twitter, but not during school news-press.com The News-Press:

"Lee County is among a growing number of school systems that have said no to social networking. Lee argues they can be a source for sexual predators, fraud and viruses, and the district doesn’t want students or staff communicating with unknown third parties during the school day.

“We have to weigh the beneficial uses of such resources against the negative, inappropriate use of such resources,” said Joe Donzelli, Lee’s director of communications. “Right now, the pros do not outweigh the cons.”

Federal law requires Lee schools to block offensive content, such as pornography and adult dating sites. Lee contracts with California-based M86 to filter Web sites by general categories, not by specific Web sites."

Baltimore City Schools First in the U.S. to Adopt Meatless Monday | SYS-CON CANADA

Baltimore City Schools First in the U.S. to Adopt Meatless Monday SYS-CON CANADA:

"BALTIMORE, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Baltimore City Public Schools system was recognized yesterday by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) as the first Meatless Monday school system in the U.S. The 80,000 young people it serves will begin each week with a Meatless Monday menu.

Dr. Robert Lawrence, Director of the CLF and Dr. Michael Klag, Dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, presented the Center's 2009 Award for Visionary Leadership in Local Food Procurement and Food Education to Neil Duke, Chairman of Baltimore City Board of Schools and Tony Geraci, Director of Baltimore City Schools Department of Food and Nutrition"

Literacy for Life: Schools plan to standardize reading skills | NevadaAppeal.com

Literacy for Life: Schools plan to standardize reading skills NevadaAppeal.com:

"Teachers are beginning a three-year process to align the reading curriculum throughout the district.

Susan Keema, associate superintendent for educational services, said it's important because reading is the fundamental skill that serves as the backbone to education.

“It's the No. 1 thing,” she said. “You can't pass a math or science test unless you can read. If a person can't read, they can't even take a driver's test.”"

Commission on the 21st Century Economy Issues Recommendations to Modernize, Stabilize & Simplify California’s Outdated Tax System

Commission on the 21st Century Economy Issues Recommendations to Modernize, Stabilize & Simplify California’s Outdated Tax System:

"Commission on the 21st Century Economy Issues Recommendations to Modernize, Stabilize & Simplify California’s Outdated Tax System
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today the Commission on the 21st Century Economy released its final report and recommendations on ways to update and improve California’s out-dated revenue system and make it more reflective of our state’s economy. The report reflects nine months of work by the 14-member bi-partisan commission that was jointly appointed in December by the Governor and Legislative leaders. The Commission’s charge was to suggest ways to modernize California's out-of-date revenue laws in order to improve the state's economic competitiveness and to reduce the revenue volatility that has led to the state's feast-or-famine state budget cycles.

“The boom-and-bust economic cycles the current tax system depends on has turned our state budgeting system into an unpredictable roller coaster ride that brings windfalls one year and painful deficits the next,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I asked the commissioners to think outside the box and they certainly did. I applaud the hard work of the bipartisan commission and encourage everyone to give the recommendations a thorough review.”

http://www.cotce.ca.gov/"

Michael Boskin and John Cogan: Tax Cuts Can Help California Grow Again - WSJ.com

Michael Boskin and John Cogan: Tax Cuts Can Help California Grow Again - WSJ.com:

"The commission's majority report recommendations were made public yesterday. They include a sweeping overhaul of the personal income tax code that reduces tax brackets to two from six; eliminates all deductions and credits other than for charity, mortgage interest and property taxes; and cuts the top statutory income tax rate to 6.5% from 9.3%. Most taxpayers would receive a 25%-30% tax cut and all would pay less. The commission also recommends abolition of the state's corporate income tax and the elimination of most of the state sales tax that finances the state's general revenue fund (as opposed to special funds for transportation, etc.). Finally, to replace the lost revenue, the commission recommends a broad-based, low-rate state value-added tax (VAT), collected on business net receipts (revenues less purchases from other businesses, including immediate expensing of capital), that is capped at 4%."



Read full report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12340338/Commission-on-the-21st-Century-Economy-Issues-Recommendations-to-Modernize-Stabilize-and-Simplify-California’s-Outdated-Tax-System


http://www.cotce.ca.gov/

Commission proposes dramatic state tax overhaul

Commission proposes dramatic state tax overhaul:

"Besides doing away with the traditional sales and corporate taxes, the 415-page report by the bipartisan Commission on the 21st Century Economy suggests across-the-board reductions in personal income tax rates. However, the wealthy, whose income taxes make up the lion's share of the state's tax base, would see larger tax cuts under the proposed changes."

Court: Teacher refusing training can be fired

Court: Teacher refusing training can be fired:

"Veteran schoolteachers who refuse training that qualifies them to instruct students who speak only limited English can be fired, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday."

A San Joaquin County school district that ordered all its teachers to take language training was within its authority to begin dismissal proceedings against a tenured high school music teacher who defied the requirement, said the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento.

The teacher, Theresa Messick of Ripon High School, is considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court, her lawyer said.

The ruling is the first to address districts' authority under a recent state law that requires teachers to get special training to work in classes that include students not fluent in English - about one-fifth of California's total enrollment. The law also requires schools to make all their programs available to those students. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/29/BAI519UG02.DTL#ixzz0SamLErUF

Sacramento Press / Mayor Kevin Johnson: New arena is a "front-burner" issue

Sacramento Press / Mayor Kevin Johnson: New arena is a "front-burner" issue:

"Johnson, however, seems willing to change turn the conversation away from Cal Expo, still not ruling out downtown as a location for a possible arena.

'Before I was the mayor, I would have always liked to see an arena downtown; and now that I am mayor, I would still like to see an arena downtown,' he said."

Swine flu school closings could cost billions - Wire Health & Science - sacbee.com

Swine flu school closings could cost billions - Wire Health & Science - sacbee.com:

"But in the month since classes began, many schools have closed. As of Monday, there had been at least 187 school dismissals across the country affecting at least 79,678 students, the Education Department said."

Marcos Breton: Lawyers win, school kids lose in Natomas land deal - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Marcos Breton: Lawyers win, school kids lose in Natomas land deal - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Lawyers gain while school kids lose.

It's happening in Sacramento, and involves a school district alleging that it grossly overpaid for land for a new school site � to the tune of millions of dollars.
Natomas Unified is suing key parties in the sale, including two companies headed by a developer who is arguably the most influential man in Sacramento."

No-tolerance on violence raises Elk Grove school's suspensions - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

No-tolerance on violence raises Elk Grove school's suspensions - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Last year, the 964-student population chalked up 1,224 suspensions. Of those, 507 were for violence or drugs � the 10th highest number in the state, according to figures compiled by the California Department of Education. The school also initiated 18 expulsions."

Politics Northwest | Nickels to host 60 U.S. mayors next week | Seattle Times Newspaper

Politics Northwest Nickels to host 60 U.S. mayors next week Seattle Times Newspaper:


"The event also will bring back some Seattle luminaries who have left for jobs in the Obama administration. Among those scheduled to speak are former King County Executive Ron Sims, now deputy secretary of HUD, and former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, now U.S. Drug Czar.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan also are scheduled to address the mayors' group.

Among the 60-plus mayors who plan to show up: Oklahoma City's Mick Cornett, Los Angeles' Antonio Villaraigosa, Sacramento's Kevin Johnson, New Orleans' Ray Nagin, Denver's John Hickenlooper, Philadelphia's Michael Nutter, and Thomas Leppert of Dallas."

UC chief's glib NYT interview raises ire - SFBG Politics Blog

UC chief's glib NYT interview raises ire - SFBG Politics Blog:

"Just days after UC faculty, employees, and students took to the streets in protest of Yudof’s anti-democratic approach to making deep cuts and huge tuition hikes, here he is playing the cutesy wannabe celebrity who jokes about his lack of commitment to and qualifications for this important job.

And when given the chance to criticize Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – which would seem a natural, given that he’s been blaming state government for his own destructive decisions – he dutifully plays the good company man and says of the dangerous defunding of higher education, “This is a long-term secular trend across the entire country. Higher education is being squeezed out. It’s systemic.”"

Oregon serious about trying to win Race to the Top federal education money | Oregon Education - OregonLive.com

Oregon serious about trying to win Race to the Top federal education money Oregon Education - OregonLive.com:

"Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Oregon schools superintendent Susan Castillo made their first formal joint pronouncement today that Oregon is going to mount a serious effort to win part of the $4 billion in 'Race to the Top' money that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan plans to award next spring.

Their announcement included naming the 22 people, mostly educators and education advocates, who are the 'design team' for Oregon's bid for the money. They also unveiled a web site where the public can learn more about the Race to the Top and Oregon's plans to try to win."

Oakland North » New schools head Tony Smith: “This is the future of democracy.”#more-13646#more-13646

Oakland North » New schools head Tony Smith: “This is the future of democracy.”#more-13646#more-13646:

"There are many people still waiting to see how this year turns out for Superintendent Smith, the first Oakland superintendent to be appointed by a local, independent school board since the state takeover. Smith, a Cal graduate (he played football for the Bears) and most recently the San Francisco school district’s deputy superintendent for instruction, innovation, and social justice programs, faces a stark achievement gap in Oakland, where African American and Latino children perform on average well below their white peers. The district is also losing $25 million in funding next year, after just having trimmed $69 million out over the past few years."

H1N1

H1N1:


"This is a message from the Sacramento City Unified School District about health care steps our schools are taking to prevent the spread of swine flu and how you can help us.
Please know we are complying with all notification and sanitation guidelines as directed by our County Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education. Our Department of Health Services is taking the lead in this matter."

More time in the classroom won't fix education problems

More time in the classroom won't fix education problems:

"“…greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works.”

President Obama’s latest proposal is to increase classroom time by as much as three hours a day and to open schools on weekends to give kids a safe place to hang out. What is unclear is whether or not this additional time in class would be instructional time. And true to form, the President never discussed the financial impact.

Although unspoken, his reasoning is essentially financial. At a time when most school districts are cutting teacher salaries and benefits, and increasing the student/teacher ratio and pupils per classroom, the unions are negotiating reductions in classroom time as compensation. In other words, less pay translates into less time in class for the children."

Extended School Year Would Have Dire Economic Effects, Critics Say - Political News - FOXNews.com

Extended School Year Would Have Dire Economic Effects, Critics Say - Political News - FOXNews.com:

"If the academic year gets pushed deeper into summer, as President Obama is advocating, the grumbling will not be limited just to students and teachers who will be forced to spend more days in school.

Critics say the president's call for a longer academic calendar and a shorter summer vacation will bring on a host of unintended consequences -- including increased costs for school systems, major cuts to the nation's hotel and tourism industries, and"

The McGraw-Hill Companies :: Connecting Education With Innovation: Leaders Honored With the 22nd Annual McGraw Prize in Education

The McGraw-Hill Companies :: Connecting Education With Innovation: Leaders Honored With the 22nd Annual McGraw Prize in Education:

"The 2009 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education honors Sarita Brown, Linda Darling-Hammond and Joseph Renzulli for their guiding work in accelerating educational success among Latinos, teacher training, and gifted and talented enrichment, respectively. Announced today by Harold McGraw III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The McGraw-Hill Companies, the honorees will be recognized this evening at a dinner at the New York Public Library.

'Providing an exceptional education to students of all backgrounds and skills sets is critical if we want our country, and our citizens, to succeed in today's global, knowledge-based economy,' said Mr. McGraw. 'In order for our nation to maintain its standing in the world, our educational system needs innovators who are always looking to push beyond boundaries to identify creative, effective solutions to our biggest challenges. Each of this year's recipients has done just that and as a result has made a tremendous difference in the lives of students and educators.'"