Monday, January 14, 2013

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Fensterwald: California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report





Education Headlines

Monday, January 14, 2013

School administrators being 'hyper-vigilant' after Taft shooting

One is erecting extra fences to control access to schools. Another is rethinking what kinds of locks to put on classroom doors. They're all reviewing and emphasizing the importance of safety procedures.

Kern teacher pay up, but below state average

Kern County teachers earned less than the average salary for their profession statewide last year, but average pay here rose even as statewide teacher salaries fell slightly, according to new data from the California Department of Education.

Q&A: El Dorado schools chief stepping down but staying busy

Vicki Barber is ending her reign June 30 as the El Dorado County schools chief after nearly 20 years in the role. She announced her retirement Tuesday. Barber, 61, was elected five consecutive times to the top education post at the Office of Education.

Tam high school district failed to file required disclosure of salary costs

The Tamalpais Union High School District failed to publicly lay out the costs of a pay hike for teachers before the raise was approved as required by state law, an official from the Marin County Office of Education confirmed Friday. However, the lapse appeared to be a technical oversight that did not trigger any alarm bells.

Novato district offers new option for autistic students

Marin schools offer a wide variety of special education options, but the Lynwood classroom, which began in the fall, is the only one run by a Marin school district exclusively for autistic students.

Modesto schools address discipline enforcement

Modesto City Schools is paying the price for kicking too many special-education kids out of school for discipline problems. But the district decided to tackle suspensions and expulsions districtwide, working to bring consistency to a hodgepodge of services and uneven enforcement.

LAUSD's Tamar Galatzan, UTLA chief Warren Fletcher look at reforming system for investigating teachers

A year after the Miramonte sex-abuse scandal sparked a flood of teacher misconduct complaints, a Los Angeles Unified board member and the teachers' union president have launched separate efforts to devise a more efficient system for investigating allegations.

Longer school year, shorter summer vacation -- and plenty of detractors

Did your kids moan that winter break was way too short as you got them ready for the first day back in school? They might get their wish of more holiday time off under proposals catching on around the country to lengthen the school year. But there's a catch: a much shorter summer vacation.

Coalition of civil rights advocates recommends against more armed officers at schools

A coalition of civil rights organizations, law enforcement and education officials are cautioning the White House against supporting proposals to put untrained armed guards or more police in schools.

School shooting victim expected to recover

Officials try to determine a motive, with the Kern County sheriff saying the assailant believed that the two students he targeted had bullied him.

Hempel: Foster youth to benefit from broader access to school records

The Uninterrupted Scholars Act, which sits on President Obama’s desk awaiting signature, marks another important step on the longer road to increased educational opportunity for students in foster care. The act will amend the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to ease child welfare agencies’ access to foster children’s student records

California law keeps Communist Party members from teaching

California's schools are, in many cases, a child's first exposure to people different than their family members. They might speak different languages, look different or believe in different things. But legally, there's one thing their teachers cannot be: Communists.

Fensterwald: California drops to 49th in school spending in annual Ed Week report

California tumbled two more spots, to 49th in the nation in per-pupil spending, in Education Week’s latest annual Quality Counts report, released last week.

To lock classroom doors or not?

After the Newtown and Taft shootings, educators in Los Angeles debate whether teacher transparency or school security is paramount.

Oxnard Union school district picked by state for program to link academics with business sector

Oxnard Union High School District has been picked to participate in a new state program that aims to prepare high school students with the skills they will need to succeed in careers and in college.
Friday, January 11, 2013

Taft student in critical condition following campus shooting; teen suspect held

The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old boy who law enforcement has not named, is in custody. The victim, who authorities also declined to identify, was in critical but stable condition Thursday afternoon after being airlifted to Kern Medical Center and undergoing surgery.

Taft teacher and campus supervisor hailed as heroes

Sheriff Donny Youngblood says the mens' actions likely saved many lives.

In Taft, a day of "pure tragedy"

Parents flocked to the campus but were kept at a distance; it took anxious hours for all the kids to be released to their families.

Taft Union High in social media

The Thursday morning shooting at Taft Union High School moved quickly through the world of social media and was among the top 10 trending topics on Twitter within hours of the news breaking.