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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

In Surprise Move, School Board Backs Parcel Tax -- Again

In Surprise Move, School Board Backs Parcel Tax -- Again

In Surprise Move, School Board Backs Parcel Tax -- Again

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  • Richard Barrera

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Posted: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 8:24 pm
In a stunning switch, school board President Richard Barrera decided to forge ahead with a proposed parcel tax that even backers say is an uphill slog, less than a day after he said it was a lost cause. The whirlwind back-and-forth over the tax perplexed onlookers and parents who followed it.
"Amateur hour at San Diego Unified School District. Is this a homeowners association or a school board?" joked school board candidate Scott Barnett, when told about the switch.
The San Diego Unified school board decided to put the school tax on the November ballot two weeks ago, despite critics' crowing that it couldn't pass. Barrera was one of its biggest champions, arguing that parents and teachers would mobilize to pass it. But on Monday,

Marcos Breton: Ho-hum, taxpayers ripped off again - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Marcos Breton: Ho-hum, taxpayers ripped off again - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Marcos Breton: Ho-hum, taxpayers ripped off again

Published: Wednesday, Jul. 28, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1B
The most insidious kind of corruption is the mundane lapse of judgment often behind the everyday fleecing of taxpayers in California.
It starts with a tired justification repeated around Sacramento like a mantra – that public officials making obscene compensation packages actually deserve it because they could make more money in the private sector.
Oh, and they work very hard, too!
The lie permeates Sacramento and beyond. In the last week, we learne


Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/28/2919195/marcos-breton-ho-hum-taxpayers.html#ixzz0uyh5iS2a



Nearly a year after becoming chancellor of the University of California, Davis, Linda Katehi has released a massive plan for guiding the university to become more competitive.
2M27NATOMAS.JPG
Bobbie Plough officially started as Natomas Unified School District's new superintendent last week, but she has already played a role in making some major changes.
The University of California's interest in offering an online degree is opening a new chapter in the debate over online education.
Interest in online schools for kindergarten through 12th grade is surging as new virtual offerings flood the market, leading education experts to warn parents that not all programs are equal.


Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0uygg4cmu

East Side board to vote on parcel tax - San Jose Mercury News

East Side board to vote on parcel tax - San Jose Mercury News

Rise & Shine: Study finds good kindergarten teachers matter | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: Study finds good kindergarten teachers matter | GothamSchools

Rise & Shine: Study finds good kindergarten teachers matter

  • Researchers found that students with good kindergarten teachers do better later in life. (Times)
  • The Daily News says the new, lower-sounding test scores coming out today will be a shock to parents.
  • A new website aims to help New Yorkers prepare to take the high school equivalency exam. (NY1)
Race to the Top:
  • N.Y. is among 19 Race to the Top finalists. (GothamSchools, Times, Daily News, Post, NY1,WNYC, WSJ)
  • State officials say they won’t be able to execute promised reforms without the money. (GothamSchools)
  • Where states are increasingly united, Congress is divided on education policies. (Washington Post)
  • A Democrats for Education Reform staffer says N.Y. should up charter school funding to win RttT. (Post)
  • Excerpts from Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s RttT speech emphasize the urgency of reform. (Post)
  • The Post says it’s all on Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch to make sure the state brings home money.

Millions in delayed education stimulus funds face further stall | California Watch

Millions in delayed education stimulus funds face further stall | California Watch

Millions in delayed education stimulus funds face further stall

Flickr photo by Paraflyer
The fate of $37 million in federal stimulus funds that have been sitting for nearly a year could be delayed even further if the 2010-11 budget talks between the Legislature and the governor turns sour.
According to Los Angeles Times, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to leave office in January 2011 without signing the budget if the Legislature doesn't cut back on public-pension payouts and make other reforms. According to the Times, Schwarzenegger told reporters after an event at the LA Chamber of Commerce:


Tag-team journalism: A case study of the California Watch distribution model

In Switzerland, children attend school for 228 days a year. In South Korea, it’s 220 days.
By this measure, California looks like a slacker.
The typical California school year lasts about 180 days – and it's shrinking. California Watch Senior Reporter

Report: Students stumble over tricky financial aid verification process

A new report suggests that many California college students don't receive the federal financial aid they're eligible for in part because of the red tape they encounter after submitting their applications.
The survey of 13 California Community Colleges, published this week by the Institute for College Access and Success, found that students whose financial aid applications were selected by the college for "verification" –