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Thursday, January 31, 2013

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PPIC poll: Public would make schools taxes easier





Education Headlines

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Lodi Unified School District gains some school days

The Lodi Education Association has reached an understanding with Lodi Unified School District to restore five instructional days, with pay, to the 2013-14 calendar.

Natomas board OKs settlement over school site

A bad land deal that has plagued three Natomas Unified school boards and five superintendents has finally been resolved. But the district still took a big hit.cpy

School district optimistic about budget

Officials in Escondido’s K-8 district are optimistic for now about the budget outlook for next school year and beyond. The Escondido Union School District has healthy reserves, but the state’s economic recovery is fragile, Michael Taylor, assistant superintendent of business services, said this week following a school board budget workshop over the weekend. Locally, declining enrollment and deficit spending remain a concern, Taylor said.

Donnelly wants to arm some teachers

California teachers and other willing school employees would be trained to carry guns under legislation by Inland Assemblyman Tim Donnelly to allow districts to participate in a new School Marshals Program.

School district proceeds with capital appreciation bonds

Just days after state officials warned California school districts to avoid using capital appreciation bonds because of concerns over the high cost associated with them, the Temecula Valley Unified school board approved a plan to sell the controversial bonds.

GOP legislators propose California school districts arm teachers

Democratic legislators say bill that would allow districts to spend education funds to train teachers, administrators and janitors in gun use doesn't have a chance.

Baron: Californians upbeat on ed budget, poll finds

Californians are expressing a long-lost sentiment: optimism. A new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found growing support for Gov. Brown, for his education finance proposal and for making it easier for local communities to pass parcel taxes to help fund their schools. Even support for the Legislature has climbed out of the dregs.

Controversial school bonds create ‘debt for the next generation’

The Napa Valley Unified School District is one of at least 1,350 school districts and government agencies across the nation that have turned to a controversial form of borrowing called capital appreciation bonds to finance major projects, a California Watch analysis shows. This form of borrowing has created billions of dollars in debt for taxpayers and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for financial advisers and underwriters.

PPIC poll: Public would make schools taxes easier

The latest survey from the Public Policy Institute of California contains some interesting data on gun control and immigration, but the most important finding in the survey – one that could impact public policy in a meaningful way — is the report that 57% of Californians support lowering to 55% the vote needed to pass local parcel taxes for public schools.

California tax revenue surges $5 billion above estimates

California is on track to collect $5 billion more in tax revenue this month than estimated in Governor Jerry Brown’s budget, and the state’s fiscal analyst’s office said it can’t say why, yet.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Lowder gets 3-year contract extension by 4-3 vote

By the same narrow margin that won him the job seven months ago, Superintendent Steve Lowder received a contract extension, a raise and more job security at Tuesday night's Stockton Unified school board meeting.

Tustin Unified and city settle legal battle

After 35 months of wrangling, and at least $1.5 million paid to lawyers, the legal dispute between Tustin Unified and the city of Tustin ended as the trial was set to start. Officials have officially agreed to settle the disagreement.

San Ysidro legal bill tops $100K

The San Ysidro School District has spent more than $105,000 defending a lawsuit filed in April by a contractor who claims a solar-power deal was wrongly cancelled by public officials.