CFT In the News: 11/20


As UC Regents Approve Major Tuition Hike, Students, Faculty Decry Erosion of Public Education in CA and Nationwide Democracy Now!
Amid thousands of student protesters and armed police standing guard, the University of California’s Board of Regents has approved a 32 percent increase in student fees. The vote will bring the total cost of a UC education to more than $10,000 per year for the first time. We discuss the protests and the growing privatization of public education with UCLA student activist Zen Dochterman and the president of the UC American Federation of Teachers, Bob Samuels. [includes rush transcript] Video including interview with Bob Samuels (allow time to load, then go to minute 15)

As UC Regents Approve Major Tuition Hike, Students, Faculty Decry Erosion of ...
Bay Area Indymedia - ‎2 hours ago‎
Bob Samuels, president of the University of California, American Federation of Teachers. He runs the blog Changing Universities.

Pajaro Valley school district considers early end to school year
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Donna Jones - ‎8 hours ago‎
"Shutting down early is the least disruptive to instruction," said Francisco Rodriguez, president of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers.

Education News:  11/20

UC Regents Give Final Approval To Fee Hikes -- As angry students chanted outside, University of California regents Thursday approved a 32 percent fee increase that will raise the price of a UC education to more than $10,000 per year for the first time. MATT KRUPNICK in the Oakland Tribune LARRY GORDON and AMINA KHAN in the Los Angeles Times STU WOO in the Wall Street Journal NANETTE ASIMOV in the San Francisco Chronicle MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP MATT KRUPNICK in the Oakland Tribune TERESA ROCHESTER in the Ventura Star -- 11/20/09
video:

UCLA Students End A Day Of Protest Over Fee Hikes -- After a day of protests over student fee hikes that roiled the UCLA campus, a final group of students who had taken over Campbell Hall left the building peacefully this evening. AMINA KHAN in the Los Angeles Times ELEANOR YANG SU in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/20/09

Dozens Of Protesters Arrested At UC Davis -- The students were protesting the governing board of the University of California approving a $2,500 student fee increase Thursday after two days of tense campus protests across the state. HUDSON SANGREE in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/20/09

More than 50 protesters arrested at UC Davis
San Jose Mercury News - ‎57 minutes ago‎
Each time a cadre of police officers clad in riot gear made entry into the building, and then exited with a passel of handcuffed students and teachers in ...

UC Students Protest Fee Hike
Students with bullhorns have taken over Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley this morning. A similar situation is unfolding at UC Santa Cruz and many arrests were made at UC Davis yesterday. The match that lit the unrest: yesterday's vote by the University of California Board of Regents, meeting in Los Angeles, to raise student fees by a third. Reporter: Rob Schmitz.

For African-American Students, Class Size Matters
New America Media - ‎4 hours ago‎
John Rogers, director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (IDEA), said he is not surprised by the California Watch findings.

Schwarzenegger after-school program ties up budget
San Jose Mercury News - Juliet Williams - ‎17 hours ago‎
With California facing another mammoth budget deficit, the state's nonpartisan legislative analyst says voters should reconsider some of the billions of ...

GUEST OPINION: Letter to the community from superintendent of SR schools
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Sharon E. Liddell - ‎16 hours ago‎
The Board of Education and I are deeply concerned about the direction in which the California State Budget is developing .

UC Regents Raise Fees 32% Amid Bleak Economic News in the California Progress Report By David M. Greenwald
As expected, a committee of the UC Regents voted on Wednesday to raise student fees by a total of 32 percent over the next year. These hikes will bring the annual cost of a UC education above $10,000 for the first time ever. The full board is expected to ratify these changes today.

Will CTA Put A Split-Roll Initiative on the 2010 Ballot?
California Progress Report - Robert Cruickshank - ‎5 minutes ago‎
For several years now the California Teachers Association, one of the state's largest and most powerful labor unions, ...

State News: 11/20

CFT In the News:  11/19/09

Educators show support for budget reform, discuss cuts
Posted: Thursday, Nov 19th, 2009
BY: TODD GUILD
Francisco Rodriguez (third from right), president of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, talks at a press conference Wednesday at the Towers on Green Valley Road about statewide budget rules. (Photo by Tarmo Hannula)
A group of educators and school workers gathered at Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s main office Wednesday to discuss the impacts of budget cuts on education and other programs statewide, and to support a change to state law that would streamline budget changes.

Group rallies for reversal of education budget cuts
Increased taxes among proposals
BY JOSE LUIS JIMÉNEZ
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009 AT 1:05 A.M.
Educators and union leaders from elementary to graduate school came together yesterday afternoon to implore the Legislature to restore the steep cuts the state’s education system has suffered during the current budget crisis.
At a rally at San Diego City College, attendees detailed the gravity of the situation and asked legislators to raise taxes to support education. They plan on organizing a diverse group of people outside education circles, from parents of junior high school students to business leaders, to support their cause and ensure their message is heard.

Education News:  11/19/09

Protesters gather at UCLA to oppose UC fee hike
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD (AP) – 3 hours ago
LOS ANGELES — About 200 demonstrators are chanting and marching around a UCLA building where University of California regents are scheduled to vote on a 32 percent fee increase for next year.
Protesters from several UC campuses stayed overnight at a campus tent city to take part in a second day of demonstrations on Thursday.

UC Regents Committee Approves Student Fee Increases; At Least 14 Protesters Arrested At Meeting At UCLA -- A University of California Board of Regents committee today approved a series of controversial increases in student fees that, if passed by the full board, will raise UC undergraduate education costs by more than $2,500, or 32%, in two steps by fall 2010. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times MATT KRUPNICK in the San Jose Mercury LAUREL ROSENHALL in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/19/09

Is a $26000 UC education still a deal?
Los Angeles Times - ‎2 hours ago‎
This is not the vision for California's higher education system. California higher education was built on the principles of ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.

CSU Seeks $884M Fund Rise Next Year -- The California State University system, which has seen its budget slashed by 21 percent over the past two years, on Wednesday asked state elected leaders for an $884 million funding increase in 2010-2011. KEVIN BUTLER in the Long Beach Press -- 11/19/09

UC Fee Hike: Community Colleges Feel Impact News10.net

Community colleges get creative to deal with student surge Contra Costa Times

Q&A: How class-size reduction works in California
Modesto Bee - ‎26 minutes ago‎
The program was initiated in 1996, to reduce average class sizes in K-3 grades to 20 students to every teacher. At the time, K-3 class sizes in California ...

Report: Budget Cuts Lead To Crowded Classes KCRA.com

Review finds state failing to maintain small classes San Diego

Class Sizes Begin to Rise Again in California Schools
As schools around the state opened this fall, many families were in for an unpleasant surprise. Early elementary classes in many school districts swelled to levels not seen in more than a decade. [This story was produced with Louis Freedberg and Hugo Cabrera in partnership with California Watch, a project of the Center for Investigative Reporting.] Reporter: Michael Montgomery.

Video: How are larger class sizes affecting California teachers?: Teachers and administrators discuss how large class sizes affect their instruction.
Graphic: How do California classrooms compare?: Compare California to other states in terms of student-to-teacher ration for public, K-12 schools.
Map: Class Sizes Throughout California: Explore data from the state's 30 largest, K-12 school districts.
More: California Watch
More: Read the story from California Watch

Assembly To Reconvene Early To Debate School Reform -- The California State Assembly will reconvene in December, a month earlier than planned, to hasten the state's pursuit of federal Race to the Top stimulus funds, Speaker Karen Bass said Wednesday. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/19/09

Hiltzik: State's School Funding Process Is Failing -- Anyone who has spent time in or around government, from the deeply embedded bureaucrat to the young policy wonk, knows that there are two important issues in funding a public program. MICHAEL HILTZIK in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/19/09

School Beat: Puente — Bridging the Gap to Higher Education
Beyond Chron - Jane Pieri - ‎9 hours ago‎
... low self-esteem, and low expectations for their future, California's education crisis needs to be recognized as a social justice issue that requires the ...

In the Sac Bee Capitol Alert:  
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is back to work after spending several days overseas.
He'll be in Los Angeles today, urging the Assembly to act on legislation aimed at ensuring California schools are eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in "Race to the Top" federal stimulus funds.
With a mid-January deadline for applying for the competitive grants around the bend, Assembly leaders announced yesterday some early December dates for wrapping up work on the proposed school reforms. But Schwarzenegger's office says that's not fast enough.
"Applications for hundreds of millions of dollars for California schools are due very soon, and the governor believes the time for the Assembly to act is now, not three weeks from now," Schwarzenegger spokesperson Camille Anderson said.

State News: 11/19

Budget Gap Widens In Sacramento -- California is deep in red ink again, according to a new report projecting that the cash-strapped state faces a $21 billion budget shortfall through June 2011. STU WOO in the Wall Street Journal JUDY LIN AP KEVIN YAMAMURA in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/19/0

California Governor Against Tax Hikes To Close Budget Gap -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Wednesday he opposed tax hikes to close the state's budget gap, projected to be bigger than expected in the next fiscal year. Reuters -- 11/19/09

CFT In the News: 11/18

OC schools can't sustain more cuts, educators say
OCRegister - Fermin Leal - ‎19 hours ago‎
Today's news conference was part of a coordinated effort statewide by the California Federation of Teachers. Similar groups in San Francisco, Sacramento, ...

El Rancho Unified employees agree to three-day furlough
Whittier Daily News - Tracy Garcia - ‎15 hours ago‎
... willing to take furlough days if it saved jobs. That was also the teachers' position, said Rico Tamayo, president of the El Rancho Federation of Teachers.

Education News:  11/18

Students Rally as UC Regents Meet
KCBS - ‎6 hours ago‎
(KCBS) -- Protestors gathered on the Cal campus Wednesday, as the UC Regents prepared to vote on steep fee increases at its meeting. ...

UC regents approve fee hikes
By Laurel Rosenhall - Updated: 1:08 pm
A panel of University of California regents has approved a plan to raise student fees 32 percent over the next year, bringing annual cost of a UC education to more than $10,000 - not including room, board and books.

Police close roads due to protesting UC Santa Cruz students San Jose Mercury News

Traffic Alert: Traffic blocked by protests at Main and West Entrance. Expect ...
City on a Hill Press - Tim Lindvall - ‎1 hour ago‎
SANTA CRUZ, CA – Both entrances to the UC Santa Cruz campus have been blocked by protesters, causing traffic delays for those both entering ...

Staff and students strike at UC
Socialist Worker Online - ‎18 hours ago‎
Ian Steinman, Melissa Cornelius and James Illingworth from University of California Santa Cruz report on a three-day strike in the UC system that begins ...

BERKELEY: UPDATE: SEVERAL THOUSAND RALLY AT CAL, PROTESTING STUDENT FEE HIKES
CBS 5 - ‎11 minutes ago‎
The full Board of Regents will vote on the matter on Thursday. The measure is one of several responses to sharp reductions in state funding. ...

The Master Plan is in Tatters
California Progress Report - Peter Schrag - ‎4 hours ago‎
It's California's schools and universities that have always brought high tech and other innovative enterprises here and, in many instances, ...

Teachers Unions & Parents Fear More State Cuts To Education Are On The Way
Tue Nov 17, 2009 — The coalition says public schools already have suffered state cuts totalling 17-billion dollars in the past two years.

University of California student fees could increase by more than $2500
Los Angeles Times - ‎1 hour ago‎

Why Are We Destroying Public Education? University of California Students and ... Democracy Now

UC protests to converge with vote on fee hikes San Francisco Chronicle

UC fee raises go beyond reason
San Francisco Chronicle - ‎25 minutes ago‎
... 10 percent (to $13220) and the UC Berkeley School of Law by 22 percent (to $31355). All of these increases will impose strains on California families at ...

UC Regents Consider Student Fee Hike
University of California Regents are meeting today in Los Angeles to consider raising student fees by a third. Protesters are expected to be out in force at the meeting, and UC campuses throughout the state are bracing for a three-day walkout by students, teachers and union workers. Reporter: Rob Schmitz.

Noteworthy Website - UC Solidarity - in the California Progress Report

Cal State L.A. Students Protest Budget Cuts And Slashed Classes -- About 150 students, faculty and staff gathered at Cal State Los Angeles Tuesday to protest tuition hikes, a reduction in course offerings and staff layoffs. MARITZA VELAZQUEZ in the San Gabriel Tribune -- 11/18/09

Cal Poly Pomona Discloses Online Security Breach -- Personal information on up to 355 applicants to the school in 2003, including Social Security numbers, was potentially accessible online until recently, the school says. ANN M. SIMMONS in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/18/09

CTA weighs ballot measures targeting big business
The California Teachers Association continues to grapple with whether to pursue either of two proposed ballot initiatives it filed this month to generate billions for schools from large businesses.

Teachers Unions & Parents Fear More State Cuts To Education Are On The Way
KXJZ News - Steve Shadley - ‎17 hours ago‎
California Teachers Association President David Sanchez says schools already have suffered 17-billion dollars in cuts over the past two years.

AB 540, dreaming for a higher education
Golden Gate [X]Press - Maria Umanzor - ‎11 hours ago‎
AB 540 is a California law, passed in 2001, that allows students, including undocumented students to pay in-state tuition in public universities and ...

Late News: 11/16-17

Regents’ Meeting: A Historic Opportunity
By Jesse Cheng on Nov. 16, 2009
This Wednesday and Thursday at UCLA, a historic moment in the state of California will happen. And we, as UC students, will have an opportunity to make that moment ours.

UC Regents To Vote On Fee Hikes
Tue Nov 17, 2009 — University of California’s Board of Regents will meet at UCLA Wednesday and Thursday to consider a major student fee hike. And students say they’ll be out in force to protest.

State News: 11/18

Schwarzenegger Got Big Money From Alleged Ponzi Schemer -- A big chunk of the money that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger collected last year to finance a political reform ballot measure came from a man now being accused of running a massive Ponzi-style fraud in Florida. DAN WALTERS SacBee Capitol Alert -- 11/18/09

Budget Hole Grows To $21 Billion -- Despite revenue projections that are holding relatively firm, California faces a $21 billion state budget shortfall over the next year and half, according to sources who have been briefed on a projection from the Legislature's budget analyst. DAN SMITH in the Sacramento Bee SHANE GOLDMACHER in the Los Angeles Times

Earmarks -- More than $1 billion of the proposed $11-billion water bond is earmarked for projects including: The item is in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/18/09

Where Does California Rank On Healthiest States List? -- California is getting fatter, just not as quickly as the rest of the country. The state’s good marks in obesity rates, smoking and infant mortality pushed us up a notch to 23rd in the annual America’s Health Rankings, which were released Tuesday. LANDON HALL in the Orange County Register -- 11/18/09

2009 Consumer Scorecard Grades Lawmakers in the California Progress Report By Richard Holober
Consumer Federation of California
The Consumer Federation of California released its 2009 Scorecard for State Lawmakers today.

CFT-Affiliates In the News:  11/17

Welcome Dr. Smith, know you have help
Morgan Hill Times
Theresa Sage, President of the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers, and her executive team are ready and willing to work collaboratively in a supportive ...

SEIU Wages War on Progressives - Nov 17
Beyond Chron
SEIU's threat to labor hero Burton, and its reported statement to the United Teachers of Los Angeles (sponsor of tonight's NUHW fundraiser) that it would ...

Education News:  11/17

Late news 11/16:
Assembly speeds up work on 'Race to the Top' reforms
The Assembly Education Committee is picking up the pace on its effort to ensure California schools qualify for "Race to the Top" federal stimulus funds.

The Silent Unraveling of the CSU in the California Progress Report
By Enrique C. Ochoa
California Faculty Association
Throughout the state, thousands of students are rushing to get their admissions applications into the California State University’s (CSU) 23 campuses before the November 31 priority deadline. Within the first two weeks of the submission period, applications had already exceeded the number of spots available.

Rising Protest Against Dismantling of Higher Ed
California Progress Report Staff Report
Students, faculty and staff at California’s public universities are mounting a new wave of protests against tuition hikes and enrollment cuts this week.

Protests Expected As UC Regents Ponder Fee Hikes -- Large protests are expected Wednesday, when University of California regents vote on a plan to raise fees 32 percent over the next year and – for the second year in a row – reduce the number of students the university will serve. LAUREL ROSENHALL in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/17/09

Unite Behind the Strike for UC Workers, Students and Staff in the Daily Californian

Villaraigosa, Teacher Groups Vie For 4 Schools -- Jefferson High is one of the campuses that both Los Angeles' mayor and groups backed by the teachers union have bid to run. Supt. Ramon Cortines will decide. HOWARD BLUME in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/17/09

Applicants Line Up To Bid In LAUSD School Choice Program -- Dozens of charter school operators, nonprofit groups and even the teachers union have made it clear that they think they can do a better job running L.A. public schools than Los Angeles Unified bureaucrats. CONNIE LLANOS in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 11/17/09

California's Leisurely Pace May Cost It From Qualifying For Federal Schools Funding -- While the state Assembly takes a leisurely look at education reform, California may miss its chance to compete for a share of $4.35 billion in education stimulus funds. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/17/09

USC Enrolls Highest Number Of Foreign Students Of Any U.S. University -- The campus, which recruits heavily in Asia, had 7,482 international students in the 2008-09 school year. UCLA was eighth, with 5,590. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/17/09

Fensterwald: Should A-G Be The Default Curriculum? -- California ranks 39th in the nation in the percentage of high school graduates who go on to get a bachelor’s degree. JOHN FENSTerwald educatedguess.org -- 11/17/09

Degreed Students Go Back To School -- Davina Walker has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Ohio State University and a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. And she’s a community college student. HELEN GAO in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/17/09

State News: 11/17

CFT Affiliates In the News: 11/15/09

Teachers tell all about budget cuts
The San Francisco Examiner - Kamala Kelkar - ‎Nov 15, 2009‎
Teachers and parents who want to understand more about how budget cuts affect the classroom should try to make a California Teachers Association Town Hall ...Dennis Kelly, United Eduators of San Francisco...

Education News:  11/16

Editorial: Last resort for schools: Closure
Published: 12:00 am
What do you do when year after year after year a school continues to struggle?

Higher education collapse: Dream now a nightmare
TheReporter.com - ‎9 hours ago‎
Whatever happened to the great California dream -- the promise of a good, affordable education for every qualified, committed student?

Educators wary of federal grants
Modesto Bee - Michelle Hatfield - ‎5 hours ago‎
And what about music, art and physical education teachers, whose subjects are not tested on the California Standards Tests, teachers ask.

State Cuts Give Private Colleges An Edge -- Some campuses are luring students away from UC and Cal State schools with grants and assurances. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/16/09

UC To Seek $913 Million More From State -- The University of California system will ask the state for $913 million more in next year's budget, the 10-campus system announced Sunday. MATT KRUPNICK in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/16/09

Hawthorne School Gets Success Down To A Science -- It has been six years since the Hawthorne School District opened its lone high school. DOUGLAS MORINO in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 11/16/09

11/15

College crisis is a disaster California can't afford
San Diego Union Tribune - Dean Calbreath - ‎Nov 15, 2009‎
Right now, the most visible part of California's Education Apocalypse has to do with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget cuts, which have forced colleges to ...

Colleges Accused Of Tuition Fraud -- Allegations that out-of-state community college athletes saved thousands of dollars in tuition by declaring themselves California residents, which led to the resignation of the Ventura College basketball coach and firing of the Oxnard College basketball coach last year, are spreading across the state. JOE CURLEY, RHIANNON POTKEY in the Ventura Star -- 11/15/09

Six In 10 California Community College Students Give Up Transfer Plans, Never Making It To Universities -- As California's universities cut back slots for incoming freshman, they are still touting one route to a bachelor's degree that remains wide open: Start off at a community college and then transfer to UC or CSU. LISA M. KRIEGER in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/15/09

Two Worlds On One Campus -- The adversarial aura remains as students at Daniel Pearl journalism magnet high school and Birmingham charter high school settle into their new, segregated arrangement. MITCHELL LANDSBERG in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/15/09

11/14

UC Plan To Raise Fees Breaks Its Own Rules -- The University of California is expected to raise fees next week for 24 graduate programs in violation of its own policy against boosting prices higher than competing public institutions. NANETTE ASIMOV in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/14/09

LAUSD Chief Tells Unions To Accept Pay Cuts, Furloughs, Or Face Layoffs -- Los Angeles Unified schools chief Ramon Cortines told unions Friday they must accept a combination of furloughs and pay cuts this year and next or the district will be forced to lay off up to 8,500 employees. CONNIE LLANOS in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 11/14/09

Student Newspaper Runs Supremacist Ad -- The Lowell High School student newspaper published Friday included an advertisement for a white supremacist Web site, reportedly paid for by a group promoting a "campaign to inform, awaken and radicalize our White American youth." JILL TUCKER in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/14/09

California's Leisurely Pace May Cost It From Qualifying For Federal Schools Funding -- While the state Assembly takes a leisurely look at education reform, California may miss its chance to compete for a share of $4.35 billion in education stimulus funds. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/14/09

Race To The Top Criteria Don’t Help Laggard California -- With the firing of the starting pistol for applying to the federal Race to the Top competition, California’s odds of winning, already low because of a lack of direction and leadership, probably grew slimmer. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 11/14/09

Students Look Beyond State -- The annual race to get into college has begun, and for students who want to attend California's public universities, the competition this year is going to be cutthroat. LAUREL ROSENHALL in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/14/09

Selling Lesson Plans Online, Teachers Raise Questions
New York Times - Winnie Hu - ‎Nov 14, 2009‎
The top seller, a high school English teacher in California, has made $36000 in sales. Another site, We Are Teachers, went online last year with a ...

State News: 11/14-16

Top 10 States in Fiscal Peril
ABC News - Devin Dwyer - ‎6 hours ago‎
Proposed cuts would pull billions from education, health care and state parks. Dwindling state tax revenues during the recession have forced states to ...

Cuts in cash for census may cost state billions
San Francisco Chronicle - ‎8 hours ago‎
The money pays for local hospitals, schools, public housing, highways and unemployment insurance. While the federal government pays census workers to take ...

Worst-Case For California's Budget Deficit Next Year? $25 Billion -- With high unemployment continuing to eat at California's tax revenues, and risky budget gimmicks failing to materialize, the state's deficit next year could hit a staggering $25 billion. DENIS C. THERIAULT in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/1

Splitting California down the middle
Los Angeles Times - Cathleen Decker - ‎Nov 14, 2009‎
... and shortcomings involving education and the economy have come into sharp relief during the recession. California's inland counties have unemployment ...

CFT In the News:  11/13/09

Federal schools grant program adds a bit of flexibility
Sacramento Bee - Jim Sanders - ‎11 hours ago‎
... Marty Hittelman president of the California Federation of Teachers. Sandra Jackson of the California Teachers Association declined comment Thursday because the group ...

Cuts not one-sided--students need to save
Laney Tower - Diana Arbas - ‎22 hours ago‎
... Marty Hittelman president of the California Federation of Teachers, listed alternatives to cutting programs and school employees in spite of the reduced budget.

Compromising on Education Reform?
ABC News - ‎20 hours ago‎
... and how to measure that improvement,” said President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten, who went on to praise the Department for ...

Education News:  11/13/09

Higher Education Master Plan Getting Ignored -- California's Master Plan for Higher Education - which set academics ablaze with the promise of a nearly free college education for all who qualified - is limping toward the half-century mark largely ignored by lawmakers who don't even pretend they can live up to its expensive commitment. NANETTE ASIMOV in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/13/09

Numbers Don't Lie
Daily Californian - ‎11 hours ago‎
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, California public colleges plan to cut nearly 300000 students from their campuses in the next year and a ...
http://www.dailycal.org/article/107496

CSU to ask state for $884 million more San Francisco Chronicle

Liberal Arts in Jeopardy?
Inside Higher Ed - ‎11 hours ago‎
And with students sweating a cutthroat job market that favors specific skills, many in higher education have been left wonder how the recession stands to ...

Schwarzenegger calls for education reform
abc7news.com - Lyanne Melendez - ‎18 hours ago‎
California now has only 60 days to apply and present its own reform plan proposed by the governor. Adopting a merit pay system to reward teachers.

Leaders launch plan to better support students
by Wes Bowers, Berryessa Sun  Updated: 11/13/2009 09:49:10 AM PST
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Charles Weis helped kick off SJ2020, a local initiative aimed at closing the achievement gap in city schools and ensuring all students test as proficient or advanced on state assessments by 2020.

Federal Schools Grant Program Adds A Bit Of Flexibility -- Race to the Top, the nation's largest competition for school grants, quieted some critics by adding flexibility to final rules released by the Obama administration this week – but the fighting is far from over in California. JIM SANDERS in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/13/09

LAUSD Will Appeal To Students To Get Parents Counted In 2010 Census -- For years, advertisers have used charming kids to get parents to buy their own children everything from junk food to designer clothes. Now U.S. Census Bureau officials plan to recruit those same skills from the ranks of public school students. CONNIE LLANOS in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 11/13/09

University of California Eliminates Small Farm Program
University of California is coping with dramatic budget cuts by slashing courses, imposing furloughs, and increasing class sizes. It's also shutting down some statewide agriculture programs, including one that has helped change the kinds of crops California's small
Letter from UC here:

A Key Step for California's Youngest Learners By Catherine Atkin  Preschool California in the California Progress Report
Earlier this week, early learning advocates were excited to see Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger take a critical step forward for California’s youngest learners by signing an executive order to create the California State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care.

California Prison Teachers Protest Layoffs
ABC30.com - Sara Sandrik - ‎11 hours ago‎
John Plain said, "The state of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to severely cut the number of teachers who work in prisons and that will severely ...

State News:  11/13/09

Sac Bee Capitol Alert November 13, 2009
Milken economic report praises Texas, pans California
The Milken Institute is based in Southern California, but its annual survey of business conditions in the nation's cities has almost nothing good to say about California.

Legislature Source Of Most Costly Ballot Measures -- But a new analysis from the nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies revealed today in Oakland shows that of the $12.85 billion worth of ballot measures voters approved between 1988 and 2009, 83 percent were placed on the ballot by the Legislature. LISA VORDERBRUEGGEN Political Blotter weblog -- 11/13/09

CFT In the News: 11/11-12

California could get up to $700 million in US education funds
Los Angeles Times - Jason Song - ‎12 hours ago‎
... going to come close to filling the hole" of previous budget cuts, said Fred Glass, communications director for the California Federation of Teachers.

complete article:  Reduced Social Security Benefits Penalize Teachers and Public Employees - B y Dennis Smith - California Federation of Teachers in the California Progress Report
For many individuals, making a career change from private sector employment to teaching in California results in a lifetime penalty of reduced benefits. This penalizes individuals who want to teach, along with the spouses of these individuals. California is one of 15 states with “public service penalties,” and it has the largest number of employees impacted by these penalties, including teachers, public safety, and local government public servants. That’s why the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) co-sponsored a rally Saturday, November 7, to urge Congress to pass, and President Obama to sign, federal bills SR 484 (Feinstein) and HR 235 (Matsui), the Social Security Fairness Act.

Redistricting Under Voters First Act Threatens Democratic Control of ...
California Chronicle - ‎7 hours ago‎
Organizations opposed to Prop 11 include the California Democratic Party (CDP), California Federation of Teachers, California State Firefighters Association ...

Education News:  11/11-12

Sacramento Bee Capitol Alert:
The Public Policy Institute of California is holding a lunchtime discussion about its new survey, "Californians and Higher Education."

The report found that while Californians are satisfied with the state's public colleges and universities, they're worried about the future of higher education programs.

Seventy percent of respondents said they were concerned about the impact budget cuts will have on public colleges and universities, and 57 percent said they were worried about affordability.

But that doesn't mean they're willing to chip in to maintain the current quality of education; 56 percent of respondents said they wouldn't be willing to pay higher taxes to fund higher education.

Click here for more information on the PPIC event.

Colleges high, politicians low in new PPIC poll
Californians are worried about deterioration of the state's higher education system and rising costs to students and their parents, but lack confidence in the ability of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislators to deal with their concerns, a new Public Policy Institute of California poll indicates. In the Sacramento Bee November 11, 2009
Poll here:

Poll: Californians Worried About College Costs
CBS 13 - ‎1 hour ago‎
Higher education took a big budget hit this year in Sacramento. At the 10-campus University of California system, faculty members are being put on furloughs ...

State thinks highly of college, not funding San Francisco Chronicle

Editorial: State must stop destruction of higher education
San Jose Mercury News - ‎13 hours ago‎
... higher education. With another deficit looming, California seems poised to continue cutting a path of destruction through its colleges and universities.

EdSource weighs in on vocational education fight
EdSource, a think tank that studies California's education system, has weighed in on the long-simmering debate over whether the state needs to beef up its vocational education offerings as a way of reducing its high school dropout problem.
Full Report here:

Education Report: Young teachers' views on pay, unions and retention
Oakland Tribune - Katy Murphy - ‎13 hours ago‎
In California, "tenure" for teachers simply means that teachers can be dismissed only for "cause." In contrast, before being granted tenure, a teacher can ...

State News: 11/11-12

California crisis cited as warning for other states
California's state budget crisis is so severe that the Pew Center on the States, a Washington-based policy think tank, is using it as an example of conditions that imperil other states. In the Sacramento Bee November 11, 2009
Pew Report Here:

Education News:  11/10/09

State betraying own higher ed dream
Modesto Bee - Jeff Bleich - ‎10 hours ago‎
It is the story of California's rise from the 1960s to the 1990s. Millions of people stayed here and succeeded because of their California education.

Peralta Agrees To Hand Over Disciplinary Records -- The Peralta Community College District has agreed to release documents related to the attempted firing of an employee wrongly accused of passing confidential information to Bay Area News Group. MATT KRUPNICK in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/10/09

Outrage At Hearing On SDSU’s Admissions Shift -- Kevin Yabes couldn’t help but get excited when he received confirmation this week that SDSU received his college application. But he’s not so sure he’ll ever get the letter that really counts. MAUREEN MAGEE in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/10/09

CSULB Gets Grant To Improve Ocean Transport -- The federal government has awarded Cal State Long Beach $2.6 million for research into technologies to improve ocean transportation for commercial and military uses. KEVIN BUTLER in the Long Beach Press -- 11/10/09

State News: 11/10/09

Schwarzenegger: This Year's Budget Gap May Hit $7 Billion -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger estimated Monday that California's budget will fall out of balance by $5 billion to $7 billion this fiscal year, on top of a $7.4 billion gap already projected for 2010-11. Kevin Yamamura and DAN SMITH in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/10/09

Education News:  11/7-9/2009

11/9:

California's Uphill Race In Education
KSRO - ‎1 hour ago‎
Uncle Sam may offer to pour stimulus funds to help California's struggling schools. In order to get the cash, the California State Senate passed a measure ...

Tempest over a teacup's worth of federal funding for schools San Jose Mercury News

University of California to Launch Global Health Institute
UC Riverside - ‎13 minutes ago‎
That could become the model for other professional schools in the future.” The Institute will pioneer a number of educational technologies and delivery ...

CSUDH Students Rally Against Further Cuts -- Armed with signs and megaphones, a pack of students gathered in front of Welch Hall on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, to speak out against possible program cuts at the Carson university. DOUGLAS MORINO in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 11/9/09

Superintendent sounds Lincoln Unified alarm
Stockton Record - Roger Phillips - ‎10 hours ago‎
Mindful of this, and nodding to $12.5 billion in education cuts this year, the California School Boards Association announced Friday that it has elected not ...

Folsom Cordova Considers Shorter Days For Juniors, Seniors -- Folsom Cordova Unified School District is considering shaving a class period off the school day for high school juniors and seniors to help shore up a $10.6 million budget deficit projected for next year. DIANA LAMBERT in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/9/09

Tempest Over A Teacup's Worth Of Federal Funding For Schools -- Into the kettle that is California's $35.7 billion education budget, Uncle Sam may offer to pour a teacup's worth of specialized stimulus funds to help the most struggling schools. SHARON NOGUCHI in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/9/09

Fensterwald: Blaming The State Is Losing Parcel Tax Strategy -- Denouncing Sacramento for a school district’s financial troubles may be satisfying — and valid – but it’s a poor strategy for convincing voters to pass a parcel tax, according to pollsters who surveyed voters in Santa Clara County last month. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 11/9/09

Lessons for LAUSD
Los Angeles Times - ‎10 hours ago‎
It's hard to imagine a more trying time for students and teachers at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Even more difficult is determining how much of ...

Health bill includes Valley med school
Fresno Business Journal - Gabriel Dillard - ‎1 hour ago‎
... bill they supported over the weekend includes $500 million for rural medical schools, including a new program for University of California, Merced.

Letter: Retired teachers are loyal volunteers
Enterprise-Record - ‎10 hours ago‎
1-7 was California's 11th annual Retired Teachers Week. As a member of the California Retired Teachers Association, I want to urge all members of the ...

11/8:

Revising constitution doesn't stymie students
By Daniel Weintraub - Published: Sunday, November 8 2009 - 12:00 am
STOCKTON -- Californians wondering if they are up to rewriting their constitution should come here, to the University of the Pacific and Robert Benedetti's senior seminar on California government.

11/7:

CSU Stimulus Numbers On Jobs Should Have Raised Suspicion -- California State University officials may have followed federal guidelines in reporting that stimulus money saved an inordinate number of campus jobs, but someone in the university system should have objected to reporting the numbers because "they don't make sense," California's stimulus watchdog official said Friday. PHILLIP REESE in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/7/09

Fensterwald: No Escape For Chronically Failing Schools -- California’s past efforts to turn around chronically dismal schools have been timid or unsuccessful. The state currently has no clearly defined program at all. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 11/7/09

Power to maintain educational excellence belongs to voters
Pasadena Star-News - Michael Ortiz - ‎Nov 7, 2009‎
For decades, California has been on the cutting edge of America's social and economic evolution. We are the state that has launched new ...

State News:

11/9:

Poll: Voters Skeptical Of State Reform Proposals -- Of those surveyed, 54% want to keep the two-thirds majority required to pass a budget, 65% reject a new sales tax for service providers and 62% oppose changing Prop. 13's property-tax restrictions. EVAN HALPER in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/9/09

Op-Ed: The arguing is the argument against a constitutional convention
Los Angeles Times - Patrick Collins - ‎10 hours ago‎
Two ballot initiatives were filed last week that, if passed, would call forth a constitutional convention in California.

CFT In the News: 11/6/09

Unity is key for new supe
Nov 5, 2009  By Natalie Everett
The thing the school community needs most, is what its new leader has: a collaborative spirit.
Dr. Wesley Smith, who was officially hired Tuesday, said he saw in the brochure created to find candidates that the community ached for collaborative and inclusive leadership.
Theresa Sage, president of Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers Local 2022, said she was excited to work with Smith.

Race ’ to the Top’ Not Yet Started
By The Independent (Livermore)
As 2009 moves toward a close, school districts in the Tri-Valley area are watching and waiting to learn whether they will qualify for some of the approximately $4.35 billion in federal funds promised by the Obama Administration under its Race to the Top program.
Whether it can overcome these hurdles is unclear, particularly since it is opposed by labor organizations such as the California Federation of Teachers and the California State Educators Association.

Education News:  11/6/09

Two SD Teachers Named California's Best - KPBS

No way to secure school funding
Los Angeles Times - ‎16 hours ago‎
If California schools want a piece of $4.2 billion in new federal education grants, they'll have to make some changes.

Misinformation: the Enemy of Excellence
Daily Californian - Peter Taylor - ‎8 hours ago‎
The two primary sources of funding of core educational costs at the University of California are student fees and the state.

A Vicious Cycle
Daily Californian - ‎8 hours ago‎
Higher Education: Pay raises for college presidents and unprecedented tuition levels demonstrate the outrageous costs of higher education.

California School Boards Group Snubs State Legislators -- And the winner is ... no one. That’s right. Nobody won this year’s Legislator of the Year Award from the California School Boards Assn. because schools suffered so much from funding cuts approved by the state Legislature that the group didn't want to single out any lawmaker for praise. HOWARD BLUME in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/6/09

Fensterwald: State Finds Race To The Top A Tough Sell -- State Deputy Superintendent Rick Miller, who has the dubious honor of being a point man for Race to the Top, revealed the state’s evolving strategy for the federal program during a listening tour of the state this week with Kathryn Radtkey-Gaither, the governor’s Undersecretary of Education. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 11/6/09

Stanford University Is Undertaking Its Biggest Building Boom Ever, With 87 Projects Worth $1.5 Billion Under Construction -- But long-ago commitments from alums such as Nike founder Phillip Knight and Business Wire founder Lorry Lokey made 2009 a record setting year for construction — and 2010 will be even bigger, Stanford's Jack Cleary told faculty at a Thursday meeting. LISA L. KRIEGER in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/6/09

Educating Inmates Apparently Pays Off, But Draws Some Criticism -- When Jeremy Moose gets out of prison in 2012, the state will have spent more than $611,000 for his 13-year stint behind the bars - plus an additional $1,560 in waived tuition fees for his college education. MEDIHA FEJZAGIC DIMARTINO in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 11/6/09

Give Obama A+ for school reform ideas
CNN - Ruben Navarrette Jr - ‎2 hours ago‎
San Diego, California (CNN) -- President Obama deserves an A+ for his agenda for education reform. His decision to nominate Arne Duncan as US education ...

State News: 11/6/09

Attorney General Brown Asked To Decide Legality Of Legislative Pay Cuts In California -- Jon Waldie, chief administrative officer of the Assembly, and Greg Schmidt, chief executive officer of the Senate, suggest that the reductions were beyond the jurisdiction of the seven-member commission, which is appointed by the governor. DAN SMITH in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/6/09
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2309392.html

Education News:  11/5/09

CFT In the News: 11/4/09

Plenty of Talk about Challengers to Brown
Fox and Hounds Daily (blog) - John Wildermuth - ‎2 hours ago‎
Kenneth Burt, veteran political director of the California Federation of Teachers, estimated it would take as much as $40 million in campaign spending to ...

Education News: 11/4/09:

Obama spends election anniversary talking education
USA Today - ‎5 minutes ago‎
Examples include a new core curriculum in Missouri; decisions in California and Indiana to link data on student achievement to teacher performance; ...

State Senate passes education measure with eye on federal grants
Los Angeles Times - ‎28 minutes ago‎
Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar), is intended to make California more competitive for $4.35 billion in federal education grants being offered to states that adopt ...

No way to secure school funding
Los Angeles Times - ‎11 hours ago‎
If California schools want a piece of $4.2 million in new federal education grants, they'll have to make some changes.

Falling Enrollment Threatens LAUSD Budget -- Enrollment in the Los Angeles Unified School District has fallen to less than 680,000 students this year, nearly a 10 percent decline since its peak seven years ago, officials said Tuesday. CONNIE LLANOS in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 11/4/09

Health Foundations Join Forces To Improve California Schools -- The California Education Supports project, a new joint venture between three nonprofit foundations, held its first forum Tuesday to address the effects of mental and physical health on California students. AMINA KHAN in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/4/09

Fensterwald: QEIA’s Early Promise (And Its Faults) -- The California Teachers Association has issued early data pointing to positive results from a eight-year, $3 billion program for low-performing schools that the union fought hard to create and is fighting equally hard to preserve. JOHN FENSTERWALD educatedguess.org -- 11/4/09

California's higher-education debacle
Los Angeles Times - Jeff Bleich - ‎11 hours ago‎
Being a lawyer had been my dream, but my wife and I could not afford for me to go to any law schools back East. I applied to UC Berkeley Law School because ...

State News: 11/4/09

Grading The Governor -- Half of all Californians said they would give Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a below average or failing grade, according to a new Capitol Weekly/Probolsky Research Poll. The item is in Capitol Weekly -- 11/4/09

Schwarzenegger Raked In Subprime Lender Campaign Money -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took far more campaign money than any state politician in the nation from lenders that were involved in the subprime lending industry between 2004 and 2008, a review by the nonpartisan National Institute of Money and State Politics shows. DAN MORAIN protectconsumerjustice.org -- 11/4/09

CFT News: 11.03.2009

BAD COMPANY
GARY RAVANI - President, Early Childhood/K-12 Council, California Federation of Teachers, Petaluma
EDITOR: Enough is enough. You are, as the saying goes, known by the company you keep. David Brooks (“Obama’s ‘Quiet Revolution’ in education,” Oct. 18) invokes all of the well-known “education experts:” Jeb Bush, Bill Gates, Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton in praising the Obama administration’s Race to the Top initiative for education.

Education News:  11.03.2009


Ca. Gov. Schwarzenegger Applauds Senate Education Committee for Standing by California’s School Children, Passing SBX5 1
by Valerie Gotten   Tue, 03 Nov 2009
SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday issued the statement below after the state Senate Education Committee voted 5-0 to approve SBX5 1, a bi-partisan measure proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger and authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) to ensure California is highly competitive in the Obama Administration’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top national funding competition – which has been federally designed to support education reform and innovation across the nation. The legislative measure would not only help ensure California is highly competitive for hundreds of millions of education dollars for California’s schools, but implement bi-partisan education reform measures proposed by President Obama and supported by Governor Schwarzenegger to help better our education system. After passage today by the state Senate Education Committee, the bill moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Fremont charter hopes to start nation's first Arabic immersion program -- Even as the high school students learn the flourishes of Arabic script and unaccustomed sounds of the spoken language, they face the sobering prospect that after this year, they've still got about 2,100 hours of class left to master what the U.S. State Department considers an "exceptionally difficult" language for native English speakers. Its written language is a challenge even for native Arabic speakers. Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury
-- 11/3/09

Budget cuts could eliminate programs like philosophy and history at Cal Poly Pomona -- Officials at Cal Poly Pomona might have to terminate 10 to 20 programs and disciplines, including philosophy and graduate history, to meet budget demands brought on by the state's economic crisis, officials said. Daniel Tedford  in the San Gabriel Tribune   -- 11/3/09

'Mix it up' program clicks without cliques -- The exchange between the students would seem typical of two kids who have attended a small private school together for years. But the pair had barely spoken before Monday afternoon, when they were asked to have lunch with someone new as part of the school's "Mix It Up" activities - a national campaign to build tolerance among students. Connie Llanos  in the Los Angeles Daily News   -- 11/3/09

Fensterwald: Governor squelches finance reform -- It’s not often that by near-unanimity, Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature agree on a potentially significant education reform. John Fensterwald  educatedguess.org   -- 11/3/09

SJ 2020: Will districts work together? -- Mayor Chuck Reed and Santa Clara County Superintendent Chuck Weis are betting that an appeal for collaboration, a moral imperative and a hint of money will work where the iron fist of No Child Left Behind law hasn’t. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org   -- 11/3/09

Obama Puts Spotlight on Education Grants
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG November 3, 2009 New York Times
The White House intends to use the first anniversary of President Obama’s election to showcase his education agenda.
Here in Washington, the hot topic on Wednesday will undoubtedly be politics, and whether Tuesday’s election results are a referendum on the president. But Mr. Obama is hoping to change the subject. He is planning a trip to Madison, Wis., to spotlight his Race to the Top competition, a new federal program that allows states to compete for $4.35 billion in education grant money.

Race to the Top education grant propels reforms
By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY
It's relatively small by Washington standards, but the Obama administration's $4.35 billion carrot for schools is already leading states to adopt a handful of key reforms.
Tucked into the $110 billion federal stimulus slated for education, a comparatively tiny grant known as the Race to the Top requires that states that want the money must commit to closing historic achievement gaps and getting more kids into college – but they also must show that they're attending to a few nitty-gritty details that President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan believe are important, including:
•Tying teacher and principal pay – and school assignments – to student test scores.

Another View: State must be competitive for education grants
11/02/2009 Pasadena Star News
THIS week will be a big test for the California Legislature, which has the lowest approval ratings since the Field Poll started measuring in 1983.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg called the Senate into session Monday to take up legislation to make the state competitive for up to $500 million in federal "Race To The Top" education grants.

Crisis in School Leadership Seen Brewing in California
Policy Experts Say State Lacks Comprehensive Human-Resources Policies for Principals
By Lesli A. Maxwell - Education Week
In California, where school budgets are being slashed and achievement remains stubbornly low in many districts, there is mounting concern that the supply of principals is too limited to manage the financial and academic challenges facing public schools.

California DOE Calls for Public Comment on First School Library Standards
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 11/2/2009
California is developing statewide school library standards for the first time—and a draft document is available for public comment until December 18.
Last week, Jack O’Connell, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, released an initial draft of the Model School Library Standards for the state’s public schools, which outlines detailed library standards for grades K–12 and has a strong emphasis on 21st century skills, explains Barbara Jeffus, a school library consultant for California’s department of education who helped draft the document. The state does not mandate certified teacher-librarians for any grade.

Answering the call
Kay Escarda/For the Times-Standard
As the saying goes, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it.” To be sure, there are a whole lot of retired teachers out there getting important work done in our community. The following are just a few of them.
...
This week, Nov. 1 to 7, has been designated as the “Week of the Retired Teacher” in recognition of their contribution to society. The range of interests and activities “is all over the map.” Retirees serve on boards, as docents in the arts and at parks, and in hospitals and health-related organizations. They donate time to food programs, work directly with students, volunteer in literacy programs and keep libraries going. The list is as varied as the individuals who give of their time.


State News: 11.03.2009


Walters: Fiscal reform requires the nerve to do it -- Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, testified at a recent legislative hearing on how California might improve its bollixed budget process by emulating other states. Dan Walters  in the Sacramento Bee  -- 11/3/09

Brown: "No rush" to formally declare as 2010 Dem gov candidate -- State Attorney General Jerry Brown said today that "I don't see the rush" to formally declare himself a Democratic candidate for governor in 2010 -- and hinted he may not do so for months. Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics Weblog   -- 11/3/09

CFT In the News: 11/1/09:

Mike Rotkin: UC fee hikes destroying public education
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Mike Rotkin - ‎Nov 1, 2009‎
In short, the proposal currently under serious consideration by the UC Regents will destroy public education in California. Perhaps more than anything else ...

Education News:  11/2/09

Our View: Will state take lead on schools?
Merced Sun-Star - ‎6 hours ago‎
Will California fight President Obama's education agenda for turning around the nation's lowest performing schools?

Riverside District Among The First In State To Use Digital Textbooks -- A Riverside school district is among the first in the state to begin using digital textbooks in some of its classes, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and others encourage the technology as a way to improve student learning and save money. JIM MILLER in the Riverside Press -- 11/2/09

Race to the top or to the bottom?
Socialist Worker Online - ‎13 hours ago‎
According to the Wall Street Journal, the American Federation of Teachers "recently issued a batch of innovation grants to districts that are tying teacher ...

Retired teachers make a mark in the community
The Desert Sun - ‎3 hours ago‎
This is the 11th annual California Retired Teachers Week. It is time to recognize the volunteer service teachers provide in our community.

Bill would raise funds for higher education
TheReporter.com - Sarah Rohrs - ‎11 hours ago‎
Students, teachers and others are banking on a proposed state bill to raise funds for higher education and stave off further cuts.

11/1/09:

Obama community college proposal may not be enough
The Associated Press - Deanna Martin - ‎Nov 1, 2009‎
In California, community colleges are struggling to cope with $840 million in budget cuts while enrollment is expected to climb. Obama's 10-year initiative

USC President Steven B. Sample To Step Down In August -- Under his leadership, the university has seen a sharp boost in academic prestige, an increased endowment and better conditions in surrounding neighborhoods. A new president will be selected by May. LARRY GORDON in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/1/09

UCI Can’t Find Jobs Governor Says Stimulus Created -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says Congress’ federal stimulus program has saved or created 8,356 jobs in the University of California system, a claim that comes as a surprise at UC Irvine, Orange County’s largest employer. GARY ROBBINS in the Orange County Register -- 11/1/09

10/31/09:

Opinion: Walters: Race for next schools superintendent will shape future of ...
San Jose Mercury News - Dan Walters - ‎Oct 31, 2009‎
The CTA and its allies, meanwhile, say California's chief education issue is money, specifically its below-average level of per-pupil spending.

Governor says stimulus is working in California
Press-Enterprise - Ben Goad - ‎Oct 31, 2009‎
In particular, he praised $7.1 billion in stabilization dollars that helped 62000 teachers keep their jobs. "Those teachers would have been gone if it ...

State News:

Taxes And Bonds Top Local Ballots -- Many cities and school districts, hit hard by the recession, will ask voters Tuesday to approve new spending. JEAN MERL and ANN M. SIMMONS in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/2/09

11/1/09:

Walters: Stage Set For Battle On Districts -- When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and political reform groups enacted a ballot measure to shift legislative redistricting from the Legislature to an independent commission, they purposely left congressional redistricting in lawmakers' hands. DAN WALTERS in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/1/09

Op-Ed: California's deficit of common sense
Los Angeles Times - Rebecca Solnit - ‎Nov 1, 2009‎
California is rich. Even in the midst of a drought, we have lots of water, and in the midst of a recession, we have lots of money.

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