Top Stories and Commentary for Friday, July 31, 2009
Debate over morality of unequal school funding in Mt. Diablo district stirs controversy
By Theresa Harrington/Contra Costa Times
A debate regarding a school district’s "moral obligation" to provide an equitable education for all students has led to controversy about campuses fundraising for their own students. Some parents […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Thursday, July 30, 2009
Class sizes grow as school budgets shrink
By Libby Quaid/USA Today
Like a seesaw on the school playground, falling state budgets are pushing class sizes higher. The recession is forcing districts to lay off teachers even as the economic stimulus pumps billions of dollars into schools. As […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Wednesday, July 29, 2009
California schools chief reacts to U.S. criticism on teacher evaluation
Jack O’Connell visits Long Beach to show that districts in the state are allowed to tie test scores to educator assessments. Obama and his Education secretary chided California on the issue last week. By Seema Mehta/Los […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Tuesday, July 28, 2009
It’s more than a definition
Editorial/La Opinión
Among the requirements of the No Child Left Behind federal law there is a clause that requires students to be taught academic subjects only by ‘highly qualified teachers’. It’s regrettable that this not happen in real life, and […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Monday, July 27, 2009
Obama chides California for not using test scores to evaluate teachers
At stake are billions in federal stimulus funds to be allocated in ‘Race to the Top’ grants. Schwarzenegger says state law will be amended if necessary to comply. By Jason Song and Jason Felch/Los […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Friday, July 24, 2009
California threatened with loss of funds if it doesn’t use test scores in evaluating teachers
U.S. education secretary is expected to withhold millions of dollars in education stimulus money if the state doesn’t comply with his demand. By Jason Felch and Jason Song/Los Angeles Times […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Thursday, July 23, 2009
California’s high school exit exam will remain a requirement for graduation
By Dana Hull/San Jose Mercury News
The on-again, off-again high school exit exam is back on — but not for everyone. Passing California’s high school exit exam will remain a requirement for […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Wednesday, July 22, 2009
California schools face $12B in cuts
By Lyanne Melendez/KGO
Education spending will be hurt by California’s new budget as school funding is being cut by more than $12 billion over two years. Cutting that much money will no doubt affect what happens inside California classrooms. This is […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Devastating cuts for education, the poor, health care, and local governments
By David M. Greenwald/California Progress Report
Last night the “Big Five” agreed to a deal that would eliminate the current $26 billion budget deficit. The budget is an all-cuts budget that cuts over 26 billion […]
Top Stories and Commentary for Monday, July 20, 2009
Multiple Pathways: Bringing school to life
By Jeannie Oakes & Marisa Saunders/Education Week
For all the rhetoric in education about “preparing students for the 21st century,” today’s schools are excruciatingly slow to leave the 20th. For a hundred years, our high school structures and practices […]