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Monday, November 18, 2013

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Are desegregation funds helping?






Education Headlines

Monday, November 18, 2013

Long Beach Unified to open high school with hospitality and tourism focus

Just months after the opening of McBride High, Long Beach's first new public high school in 18 years, plans are moving forward on another new public high school in the city.

Coachella Valley High won't cast off Arab mascot

Coachella Valley High School will keep the “Arab” name, but the east valley school district will discuss revisions to the campus mascot with a national anti-discrimination group.

Capo OK's deal for $51 million school in Rancho Mission Viejo

Capistrano Unified School District trustees have approved a deal with Rancho Mission Viejo LLC for the company to provide land and pay for a majority of the building costs for a $51 million K-8 school in its newest housing development.

San Ysidro tries to limit testimony

Lawyers for the San Ysidro School District filed several motions last week in an $18 million lawsuit over solar installations, attempting to exclude any mention of cash handoffs, burning of district records or criminal charges against officials.

Vallejo district recommends changing school's Apache mascot

A Northern California school district is recommending that its main high school’s Apache mascot be changed. The Apache, adopted decades ago, has long been a sensitive issue for Vallejo High School, and altering it has been raised several times over the years, according to the Vallejo Times Herald. The matter will be decided at the board’s Wednesday meeting.

McRae: Education reform through the courts and why it’s necessary

In California – and in many other states – the Legislature has proven devastatingly ineffective at ensuring equal educational opportunity in our public schools and protecting the fundamental rights of students.

Sacramento school board members got full pay, even when they missed meetings

The Sacramento City Unified School District has doled out thousands of dollars to board members for meetings they did not attend for at least the last 16 months, in apparent violation of board policy and state law, a Bee review shows.

Plate: Everyone benefits when charter schools and districts partner on special education

As the charter school movement evolved, flexibility and autonomy did not follow in the area of special education. Instead, charter schools’ special education services have, in many cases, mirrored the services provided by the charter school’s authorizer (usually the local school district). In January 2011, the Los Angeles Unified School District made a bold move to try a new approach, which was unanimously approved by the LAUSD School Board.

Mongeau: Federal preschool bill highlights need to improve state program, advocates say

Legislation introduced in Congress last week that would expand public preschool could serve as a wake-up call in California to beef up early education programs, advocates here say.

Are desegregation funds helping?

The state annually sends nearly $1 billion in special desegregation funds to school districts throughout California, including $64 million to San Diego Unified. But those dollars are delivered with no strings attached, no master system to track where the money goes and there is no proof required that the programs actually work.
Friday, November 15, 2013

Moorpark school board approves more raises

The Moorpark Unified School District board unanimously approved a 2.5 percent increase for certain classified employees, including assistant principals, school counselors and psychologists, and classified directors.

Simi Valley graduations will take place a week before school ends

The Simi Valley Unified School District board agreed this week to eliminate seven furlough days and lengthen the current school year calendar.

Educators cheer bill to further fund preschools

Advocates for young children in Monterey County and across the United States are applauding Wednesday's introduction of a bill that would significantly expand access to early childhood education.

California sees growth in charter schools

Despite a statewide increase in charter school enrollment, Aspire Public Schools' Vincent Shalvey Academy in Lodi Unified School District remains steady with a waitlist of 700 students.

Twin Rivers Unified trustee arraigned, waits to enter plea

Twin Rivers Unified School District trustee Cortez Quinn walked into Sacramento Superior Court on Wednesday morning with his lawyer and a minister. Quinn, 46, was arraigned on felony charges after he allegedly falsified his paternity test and accepted illegal gifts from a district employee.