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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, June 12, 2013

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No Child Left Behind debate begins in Congress, again





Education Headlines

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Families sue to block Sac City Unified school closures

A dozen minority students and their parents have filed suit in Sacramento-based federal court in a bid to block the Sacramento City Unified School District from closing seven elementary schools.

Twin Rivers board hires superintendent from Fresno

The Twin Rivers Unified school board voted Tuesday night to hire Steve Martinez as its superintendent. Martinez has a three-year contract with an annual salary of $215,000. He will start his new job July 1.

New education funding comes with strings

A so-called funding windfall for public schools emerging from a state budget deal struck by the governor and lawmakers is not easy money, a Salinas educator said Tuesday.

Rowland Unified offers teachers $1 million to retire early in Rowland Heights

Rowland Unified hopes 50 teachers and administrators will retire this summer. In fact, it is offering incentives worth $1 million to entice teachers to put away their books.

Stockton USD assistant near appointment

Kirk Nicholas, a Stockton Unified assistant superintendent, is in final negotiations to become the superintendent of Lammersville Unified in Mountain House, Lammersville announced Monday afternoon.

West Contra Costa school district plans campaign to hike property values

Seeking to benefit from the mending housing market, the West Contra Costa school district has hired a media firm to lead a campaign to get the county to raise assessed valuations on properties where they were lowered during the real estate downturn.

Lennox school board member accused of pulling strings so credit-deficit daughter can walk stage at graduation

The tiny community has been buzzing all week with claims that the daughter of board member Mercedes Ibarra was able to enjoy senior privileges when she didn't earn them at the Lennox Math, Science and Technology Academy -- a high-performing charter high school.

Oakland teachers to vote on pay increase Friday

The school district's 2,400 teachers have a tentative agreement for a new contract that gives them a raise for the first time in five years.Teachers on Friday will vote on a one-year retroactive contract that ends July 1. It gives them a one-time payment of 2.35 percent of their salaries and a 1.5 percent raise.

No Child Left Behind debate begins in Congress, again

Partisan disagreements over the role of the federal government in education policy threaten this year’s best chance to overhaul No Child Left Behind.

Fensterwald: Michael Kirst, father of new school funding formula, looks back and at the work ahead

It was the morning after the evening of the last revision, and the father of the Local Control Funding Formula looked upon all that the governor and Legislature had made, and declared, “Hey, not bad.”

New K-12 funding formula gets thumbs up from local school superintendents

A compromise deal that would overhaul the funding system for California's public schools was hailed Tuesday by education leaders who said it would channel more money to all districts, even in well-to-do suburbs, and give a bigger financial boost to those with large numbers of disadvantaged students.

California to spend more to educate poor, non-English speakers

Public schools in California would receive significantly more money to educate students from disadvantaged backgrounds under a deal announced on Tuesday that would dramatically reshape public school funding in the nation's most populous state.

Frey: Adult ed, regional occupational centers, partnership academies get reprieve

Once-threatened programs that prepare high school students for careers and adults for jobs or college appear likely to get at least a two-year reprieve under the compromise budget plan negotiated between legislative leaders and Gov. Jerry Brown.

California budget deal overhauls four-decade-old school funding model

Seven months after his tax initiative refueled funding for California's beleaguered public schools, Gov. Jerry Brown has orchestrated what's being billed as a major overhaul of how the state funds K-12 education.

Walters: Is California's new budget balanced? Not really

Gov. Jerry Brown blunted the expansionist tendencies of his fellow Democrats in writing a new state budget, but that doesn't mean it's the "balanced" spending plan that he and other Capitol politicians are claiming.

California budget accord balances restraint, social services

Lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown announce a $96.3-billion deal, with new spending on welfare grants, tuition aid and dental care for poor adults. But they agree to pare some outlays until next year.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Some Lucia Mar programs return to students

Trustees of the South County’s school district have taken steps to restore some programs and positions that were curtailed during the past few years of budget cuts.

SUSD assistant near appointment

Kirk Nicholas, a Stockton Unified assistant superintendent, is in final negotiations to become the superintendent of Lammersville Unified in Mountain House, Lammersville announced Monday afternoon.

Hayward school's toy gun trade-in elicits support, including from Newtown

An elementary school principal says he was overwhelmed by the response to his school's toy gun trade-in Saturday, when children lined up to turn in dozens of play weapons.