Wednesday, May 5, 2010

voiceofsandiego.org | Bright and Early: The Education Newsblitz

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Bright and Early: The Education Newsblitz
The newsblitz waits for no man, woman or child:
  • We blog that more than 100 educators in their first few years at San Diego Unified could be laid off, after the school board finally decided how many teachers it would need to warn of layoffs.
  • We also blog about how San Diego Unified is studying whether its hiring freeze was really a hiring freeze.
  • And we fact check the library foundation website, which stated that school bond money was designated for a downtown high school. The verdict? Check it out here.
  • KPBS reports on slow but steady progress on race relations and other changes at UCSD after it suffered a string of racially offensive incidents on and near campus this spring.
  • The Union-Tribune reports on a shift in redevelopment money to schools. I'm still trying to find out what this will mean for local schools -- stay tuned.
  • Encinitas schools will lay off teachers and other employees to balance their budget, the North County Times writes.
  • Students at two Los Angeles middle schools are getting laptops that they can take home, the LA Times writes. This is similar to but much smaller than the massive technology rollout in San Diego Unified.
  • Educated Guess explores how freedom to spend state money without so many restrictions changed how California school districts spent their money this year. Many focused on core programs and cut adult education, deferred maintenance and even gifted classes.
  • Several parcel taxes to help fund schools passed in school districts near San Jose, the Mercury News reports. This is something that San Diego Unified will watch closely as it plans a parcel tax of its own.