With no limits in place, another college fee hike likely - ContraCostaTimes.com

With no limits in place, another college fee hike likely - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"With the state budget hole headed toward new depths next year, community college students likely will pay more than ever for their classes.

Although the 2010 state budget is still months away from adoption, college and state leaders have begun discussing the new fees. Many say there's little chance students will avoid paying more.

'We're definitely going to include it as an option for the Legislature,' said Paul Steenhausen of the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. 'We've got some really tough years coming up, and the Legislature will have some difficult choices to make.'"

Members say school board shouldn't bicker - CharlotteObserver.com

Members say school board shouldn't bicker - CharlotteObserver.com:

"Facing its biggest leadership turnover in 14 years, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board will plunge quickly into decisions that can build or erode confidence in public education for years to come.
On the list:
Clean up a student-assignment process that has created months of anger and confusion. Make teacher performance-pay work. Figure out how to staff schools and honor construction promises in a lingering recession.
Before all that, though, members say they must forge a team that can dispel the board's reputation for sniping and grandstanding."

Qatar Tribune - Crisis in US Education

Qatar Tribune - Crisis in US Education :

"FOR me, the greatest national security crisis in the United States is the crisis in education.

We are turning out new generations of Americans who are whizzes at video games and may be capable of tweeting 24 hours a day but are nowhere near ready to cope with the great challenges of the 21st century.

An American kid drops out of high school at an average rate of one every 26 seconds.

In some large urban districts, only half of the students ever graduate.

Of the kids who manage to get through high school, only about a third are ready to move on to a fouryear college."

Budget cuts inspiring advocacy for schools

Budget cuts inspiring advocacy for schools:

"Frustration has simmered among school supporters this year since state lawmakers began slashing the K-12 budget, most recently cutting $144 million from a fund that pays for desks and other classroom needs to offset a state revenue shortfall that tops $2 billion.

The pre-Thanksgiving budget cut was one of several rounds this year that have inspired parents to attend the Arizona School Boards Association's new statewide workshops on grass-roots advocacy.

ASBA spokeswoman Tracey Benson said the organization, a non-profit representing school boards across the state, has held nine workshops on advocacy so far this year in all but a few Arizona counties."

Tackling truancy

Tackling truancy:

"Any way you cut it, skipping class has consequences.

Attendance at school correlates to higher academic achievement, and the more likely students will perform well on standardized tests that are required for federal education accountability measures.

'We can't educate a child who is not here,' said Mandan Superintendent Wilfred Volesky."

When students ditch class without permission, they are considered truant. It's an ongoing problem that is difficult to track because of inconsistencies in how truancy is reported to the state. The number of truant students in the state appears to have dropped 75 percent between the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years, but even the Department of Public Instruction, which collects the data, doesn't believe it.

School administrators and school boards try to curb truancy through attendance policies, reward programs and partnerships with law enforcement. Now educators are looking to the state Legislature to make the truancy law more enforceable.

Chronic truancy can result in a student receiving a citation from police and losing academic credit. Parents also could receive citations for educational neglect.

Rancho Cordova Kiwanis Support Youth and Community — The Rancho Cordova Post

Rancho Cordova Kiwanis Support Youth and Community — The Rancho Cordova Post:

"The Rancho Cordova Kiwanis Chapter works behind the scenes in the community to better the lives of families and children in Rancho Cordova. From organizing and running the 4th of July Parade to serving up pancakes at the annual Community Easter Egg Hunt, the Air Show and Breakfast with Santa, the Rancho Cordova Kiwanians are serving the community one family at a time.

Like in so many communities, there will be more families than normal this year struggling to provide for the treasured holiday traditions. In a flurry of cans of cranberry sauce, bags of potatoes, and boxes of stuffing, the Rancho Cordova Kiwanians provided 170 Thanksgiving food boxes for Rancho Cordova families."

Shriver sees effects of her Tennis Challenge on families -- baltimoresun.com

Shriver sees effects of her Tennis Challenge on families -- baltimoresun.com:

"Tennis Hall of Fame member and Baltimore native Pam Shriver is busy these days with her three young children, George, 5, and twins Kate and Sam, 4.

'They are a total handful,' she said from her Los Angeles home. 'I'm trying to teach all of them that games are part of education - that the whole body is important. I'm trying to empower them to make the right decisions: the importance of eating well, dental hygiene. We're talking about the food pyramid.'"

Chattanooga Times Free Press | Two plus two

Chattanooga Times Free Press Two plus two:

"If Gov. Phil Bredesen has his way, many more Tennessee high school graduates will start their college education at two-year schools and then transfer to universities to earn their degrees.
If state leaders don't make the change now, Tennessee will pay later, he said.

'I think Tennessee has got to solve this problem in this new economy of how you get more people with higher levels of education,' he said.

Tennessee needs to 'settle down and figure out how to move the knowledge base of our workers up the ladder like other states are doing.'"

Audit: RB schools took too big a food bite - The Daily Breeze

Audit: RB schools took too big a food bite - The Daily Breeze:

"An investigation into Redondo Beach Unified School District's nutrition services department has revealed inflated meal counts and negligent record keeping, both of which could result in overpayment of taxpayer funds to the district.

An anonymous complaint filed in May tipped off investigators from the California Department of Education to potential violations, and a subsequent audit of campus food service programs validated the complaint, state education officials said.

Among the schools that investigators visited were Lincoln Elementary, Adams Middle School, Alta Vista Child Development Center and Redondo Union High School."

Students and workers strike, occupy, fight back

Students and workers strike, occupy, fight back:

"On Nov. 19, thousands of students, workers and faculty on campuses across the University of California system protested and blockaded a meeting of the U.C. Regents, where the regents approved 32 percent tuition and fee increases, furloughs of campus workers and continued budget cuts. Several days of huge protests, seen throughout the media, ended with nearly 60 arrests and showed the potential of opposition to the “business as usual” attacks on jobs and education by the U.C. administrators.

On Nov. 20, protests intensified as six buildings across the U.C. system were occupied by students. Students demanded the recall of fired housekeepers, more money from the state of California for education, and many more extensive demands based around their right to education, jobs and affordable housing."

Analysis: Many fed education reforms don't fit MI -- chicagotribune.com

Analysis: Many fed education reforms don't fit MI -- chicagotribune.com:

"LANSING, Mich. - Michigan lawmakers are in such a frenzy to qualify for up to $400 million in one-time money for schools from President Barack Obama's Race to the Top program that they're rushing through complex changes to the state's education structure in a matter of weeks.

Meanwhile, they haven't agreed on how to keep school districts from getting hit by cuts of roughly $300 to $600 per student that have administrators contemplating laying off teachers, closing schools and eliminating busing, among other cost-saving moves.

They could be debating the positives and negatives of a proposal suggested recently by state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, a Democratic gubernatorial hopeful, to trim some business tax exemptions and use the money to roll back a business tax surcharge and plug the $500 million hole in the state's education fund."

The school bell rings and students stay to study -- latimes.com

The school bell rings and students stay to study -- latimes.com:

"The bell signaling the end of the school day at De Anza Elementary in Baldwin Park rang more than an hour ago. But hundreds of students are still at school, studying vocabulary, practicing math and completing homework under the supervision of teachers.

With the help of state grants, federal funds and teacher volunteers, nearly half of De Anza's students spend extra hours every week learning at school -- hours well beyond the traditional school day.

'Until six o'clock at night, you would think we're still in session,' said Principal Christine Simmons. 'Seeing the campus so alive like that, and seeing the parents and students so excited, just makes me and all the teachers want to work harder.'"

Statehouse Insider: Nestande works on education reforms | mydesert.com | The Desert Sun

Statehouse Insider: Nestande works on education reforms mydesert.com The Desert Sun:

"The governor's disappointment in the Assembly version of the Race to the Top legislation could bring increased importance to Assemblyman Brian Nestande's work on the education committee."

The Palm Desert Republican, vice chairman of the Education Committee, last week announced he's working with legislative colleagues and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on reforms that allow California to compete for its share of $4.35 billion in federal education funding.

Schwarzenegger issued a statement last week after Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, the Education Committee chairwoman, introduced the Assembly's legislative language.

But Schwarzenegger said the bill “doesn't completely embrace the reform culture that President Obama has charged states to adopt.”

Nestande expressed similar concerns.

Of specific concern, he told The Desert Sun, is language he fears would “slow the growth of good charter schools.”

The Assembly legislation is expected to be voted on in committee and on the floor this week.

Prison inmates need more education, rehabilitation -- not less - The Reporter

Prison inmates need more education, rehabilitation -- not less - The Reporter:

"The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation appears to be following the 'last in, first out' rule, putting rehabilitation and education programs on the chopping block as it strives to trim $1.2 billion from its overall budget.

That's a bit over a 10 percent cut. Yet the decision to slash $250 million from rehabilitation and education services will reduce those programs by more than one-third.

These are the programs the state beefed up two years ago, after a decade of studies showed that dealing with things like low literacy levels and substance abuse would save money in the long run by reducing recidivism rates."

California community college chief Scott gives tips for weathering `difficult times' - Pasadena Star-News

California community college chief Scott gives tips for weathering `difficult times' - Pasadena Star-News:

"Desperate times may call for desperate measures - but that's not necessarily the case at California community colleges, even in the face of the state's massive funding cutbacks to education.

At least that's the message California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott conveyed recently at the Community College League of California conference, where he gave a speech called, 'Living in Difficult Times.'

'There is no question that 2009-10 is an extremely challenging time for California community colleges,' he told the crowd at the San Francisco conference, which included San Gabriel Valley and Whittier area representatives."

Mitchell Colbert: Disruptive student protestors negate legitimate efforts to change the system - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Mitchell Colbert: Disruptive student protestors negate legitimate efforts to change the system - Santa Cruz Sentinel:

"Dear UC/CSU radicals, please stop your radical action immediately. Your protest methods waste our tax dollars and are counterproductive; you have only created negative press.

Every police officer and firefighter called in is tax money wasted, instead of money that can be spent on teachers and student services. It is naive to believe that this money will come from anywhere but the coffers of the California State University and University of California systems."

Like the small minority of Muslims who engage in terrorism and ruin things for the vast majority of practitioners, your actions border on terror and risk losing the entire fight for higher education. What right do you have to risk the future of millions?

I am a CSU student, but I attended the UC Santa Cruz campus shutdown on Nov. 18 as an act of solidarity with the UC students. I feel that we must unite because this fight is bigger than all of our individual battles.

Sacramento Press / Prop. 1B money sought for tracks

Sacramento Press / Prop. 1B money sought for tracks:

"The city of Sacramento is about to ask the state of California to make good on its promise to award at least $20 million for railroad track relocation so work can start by May.

Unable to sell as many bonds as expected, the state has not disbursed $20 million in trade corridor funds that was awarded last year under state Proposition 1B. Next week, the city will ask the California Transportation Commission to borrow $25 million against the bond money, said Linda Tucker, spokesperson for the city's Department of Transportation.

'We've got to get this going,' she said Friday, when the city announced it had met a Dec. 1 deadline for another $20 million in federal stimulus funding."

Union wants UC official ousted over audit - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Union wants UC official ousted over audit - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"A University of California labor union is calling for the resignation of David J. Ernst, the executive a state audit found was improperly reimbursed more than $150,000 when he worked for the California State University system."

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents 20,000 UC custodians, food service workers and other support staff, sent a letter to UC President Mark Yudof on Friday saying Ernst's "jet-setting global junkets, lavish meals and opulent retreats at taxpayer expense is an insult to workers who have been asked to put less food on their tables and students who have been forced to forgo their dreams."

It's a three-way race to succeed Supervisor Roger Dickinson - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

It's a three-way race to succeed Supervisor Roger Dickinson - Sacramento Politics - California Politics Sacramento Bee:

"Sacramento County voters will see something unfamiliar next June: real competition for the District 1 supervisor seat being vacated by Roger Dickinson.

Since 1994, Dickinson hasn't faced a contested election for supervisor, and now he's stepping aside to run for the state Assembly.

The departure of its most liberal supervisor could change the Board of Supervisors' political dynamics."

Pugh to head California School Boards Association | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA

Pugh to head California School Boards Association PressDemocrat.com The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, CA:

"Santa Rosa School Board member Frank Pugh has been elected president of the California School Boards Association. He takes office on Saturday.

First elected to the Santa Rosa School Board in 1990, Pugh is the most senior board member of the county's largest school district.

Pugh has served on the CSBA Delegate Assembly for nine years and the association's Board of Directors representing the local region for seven years."