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Monday, March 11, 2013

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Adult education's fate in limbo in California





Education Headlines

Monday, March 11, 2013

School merger talks on

A group of Tuolumne County voters plans to collect thousands of signatures and put the question of school district unification on the 2014 ballot, with the goal of creating a “Tuolumne County Unified School District.”

Monterey County school districts plunge into Common Core testing challenge

A select group of seventh-graders from Carmel Middle School recently took part in a test trial to help debug exams to be used when new California educational standards are in place.

Tamalpais school district, staffers hit impasse in negotiations

After more than a year of negotiations and a failed attempt at state-led mediation, the Tamalpais Union High School District and a key employee union remain deadlocked on salaries and benefits and have called in a state fact finder.

Long Beach's Jordan High prepares for campus overhaul

In early 2014, the Long Beach Unified School District will break ground on its major $135.6 million renovation project at Jordan.

Several Pomona Unified School District programs to relocate in June

Some of Pomona Unified School District's programs this summer will move to the closed Pueblo Elementary School and the nearby Village at Indian Hill.

Many Coachella Valley teachers skipping out on school

Teachers at two of the Coachella Valley’s three school districts racked up more absences than their peers at the national and state levels, new federal data show.

Bucking fiscal advice, Twin Rivers board rejects layoff notices

The Twin Rivers Unified school board decided last week not to issue layoff notices for next school year, a move that could leave the north area district in financial trouble.

Romoland School District considering staff reductions

The governing board of the Romoland School District on Tuesday will consider a number of staff reductions to begin balancing its 2013-14 budget.

Some win, some lose in new school funding plan

School officials getting their first look at Gov. Jerry Brown’s pitch to push more money into public education are cautiously concerned that the proposal creates a wide chasm between potential haves and have-nots.

Schools add to central office pay, staff

The San Diego school board has boosted central-office personnel in recent months, raising salaries and adding jobs even as it prepared to sell off surplus property, increase class sizes and pare back its teaching force through attrition to help balance its budget.

Riverbank Unified School District vote beats budget update deadline

Facing a March 15 deadline to update its budget or stop writing checks, the Riverbank Unified School District board chose the update with a 3-2 vote Saturday.

Modesto City Schools to weigh layoff warnings for 36 employees

Tonight, the Modesto City Schools board will consider tentatively laying off 36 teachers, nurses and others, including most elementary school librarians.

Moreno Valley school board member gets 14 years for pimping

A Moreno Valley school board member who was convicted of running a prostitution ring out of his home — once flashing his district business card to recruit a young woman — was sentenced Friday to 14 years in state prison.

Plan to rename Union City school sparks controversy

A proposal to rename Alvarado Middle School has sparked controversy within New Haven Unified, with one side urging the school board to honor the city's large Filipino community, while opponents say that would detract from the area's diversity and drain funds from an already cash-strapped district.

School abuse reporting: Training murky despite horrifying cases, survey finds

A survey by the Bay Area News Group of 94 local school districts reveals the problem of haphazard compliance with child abuse laws is far larger than three errant districts.

Stricter state controls placed on teaching interns

Action by California credentialing panel seems to settle a debate over the rights of students who speak only limited English, the effectiveness of interns and the flexibility of districts in hiring instructors.

Teachers union to vote on aggressive stand against Deasy policies

The Los Angeles teachers union has scheduled an April vote for an initiative that would, if passed, call for a more aggressive posture against the leadership of the L.A. Unified School District.

Adult education's fate in limbo in California

School districts throughout California are weighing the fate of adult education courses that serve dropouts, recent immigrants and others at the margins of the economy as Gov. Jerry Brown proposes shifting the classes from K-12 to community colleges.

After 63 years, Palisades High English teacher closes the book

Rose Gilbert, who retired three weeks ago at 94, achieved celebrity status for being the oldest full-time teacher in the L.A. Unified School District. A drama classroom has been named in her honor.

Keep Foster Youth Services out of governor’s funding formula

Governor Jerry Brown’s new funding formula for education threatens to leave more than 40,000 school-age foster children in California without the essential support they need to succeed in school.
Friday, March 8, 2013

San Luis Coastal weighs cutting summer school

The San Luis Coastal Unified School District is contemplating a one-year hiatus for the majority of its summer school courses to save money as the district grapples with a $6 million deficit.

Fresno Unified wants energy funds linked to poverty, climate

Fresno Unified leaders Thursday afternoon urged state lawmakers to consider poverty and extreme weather conditions when granting $2.5 billion in Proposition 39 funds to improve energy efficiency in schools.

Sacramento City district trustees vote to keep open Tahoe, Twain schools

Sacramento City Unified School District trustees Thursday night, as expected, gave a unanimous thumbs-up to continued operation of both Tahoe Elementary and Mark Twain Elementary schools.

Rowland Unified celebrates new school building at Oswalt Elementary in Walnut

The academy finally gets a permanent home with a shiny new science lab and nine other classrooms.

School board member Rios faces sentencing Friday

Moreno Valley school board member Mike Rios faces sentencing Friday, March 8, for his 23 convictions on felony pimping, pandering and insurance fraud charges. He could get up to 33 years in prison.