Tuesday, September 3, 2013

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, September 3, 2013

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I don't need no stinkin' Keyboard

In school iPad project, L.A. might need to tap funding for keyboards




Education Headlines

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Family plans lawsuit against Bassett Unified over teacher's suicide

The stepfather of a Bassett High School art teacher who committed suicide in July has announced plans to file a wrongful death suit against the district after claiming his stepdaughter's death resulted from bullying by administrators.

EdSource: Q&A - Flexibility, accountability key to districts’ NCLB waiver

The Hechinger Report talked to CORE Executive Director Rick Miller about what the No Child Left Behind waiver will mean for the nearly 1.2 million students in CORE districts, including Fresno Unified, Long Beach Unified, Los Angeles Unified, Oakland Unified, Sacramento City Unified, San Francisco Unified, Sanger Unified, and Santa Ana Unified.

Parents key partners at Hope Academy Charter School in Palm Desert

As most Coachella Valley students return to class on Tuesday, a new Palm Desert charter school will open its doors for the first time. Hope Academy Charter School has operated its main campus in Yucca Valley for three years, but it will now open new campuses in Beaumont, Bloomington and Palm Desert. The latter campus is at the former site of the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School along Highway 74.

Long Beach's newest high school to open on Sept. 4

McBride is Long Beach's first new public high school since 1995, and the ninth-graders that will march through its doors are the first class to do so.

Fewer Lodi Unified School District employees make more than $100,000

In a three-year span, the number of Lodi Unified School District employees earning a salary of $100,000 or more has been reduced by about a third. Mike McKilligan, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, said that the drop is mainly a result of compensation reductions that were put in place in 2010.

New school year brings money demands

California guarantees a free public education, but that only goes so far. So parents across the region are being asked for money by a myriad of organizations trying to hold things together as the state emerges from years of dire school funding news.

System called Alice to fight school shooters

If a gunman shows up at a school, teachers know what to do: lock their classroom doors, pull down the shades, turn out the lights and then hunker down with students to wait for the police.

Poll finds Californians remain unhappy about public schools

If California public schools were graded the way students are, the result would be a middling “C” grade, according to a new poll.

Nellie Meyer appointed new Mt. Diablo school superintendent

The Mt. Diablo school board appeared lighthearted and jubilant Wednesday, joining newly appointed Superintendent Nellie Meyer in a ceremonial contract-signing.

Moraga: Police report shows district stonewalled detective investigating molestation allegations

As allegations swirled that a popular science teacher had sexually abused students in the Moraga school district nearly two decades ago, a town police detective sought to investigate the complaints but said school officials thwarted her efforts, this newspaper has learned.

School support staff must back charter under bill

Legislation that cleared the state Assembly on Friday could make it harder to create charter schools in California by requiring supporters to seek consent from at least some lower-level unionized school employees.

State review finds problems in Folsom Cordova special ed program

The Folsom Cordova Unified School District repeatedly violated rules for evaluating special needs students and documenting their status last school year, a California Department of Education analysis has found.

In school iPad project, L.A. might need to tap funding for keyboards

Los Angeles school officials are acknowledging a new looming cost in a $1-billion effort to provide iPads to every student: keyboards.
Friday, August 30, 2013

Camarillo annexes 28-acre site for new high school

The Camarillo City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the annexation and zoning change for a 28-acre site for a new high school and performing arts center.

Grants help Stockton USD boost API results

Forty-two months, two superintendents and three grant proposals later, Stockton Unified finally has learned whether seven struggling K-8 campuses would benefit if they received federal dollars aimed at improving schools identified by the state as "persistently low-performing."

Stockton USD police chief decision may come today

Board members have given Superintendent Steve Lowder the authority to choose between two undisclosed candidates to serve as the interim replacement for retiring Stockton Unified Police Chief Jim West.