Monthly Archives: February 2013

EdSource Today: LAO has ‘serious concerns’ with governor’s Prop. 98 calculation

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The State Legislative Analyst’s Office is calling into question the legality of Gov. Brown’s proposal to count new revenue from Proposition 39 toward funding for education. In a report released Thursday, the LAO warns that the governor’s plan for the initiative, the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, violates the intent of the law.

Proposition 39, which won with 61 percent vote last November, is projected to raise up to half a billion dollars in revenue this fiscal year and as much as a billion per year starting next year for clean energy projects. It does this by changing the tax formula for multistate corporations doing business in California to one used by most other states.

via LAO has ‘serious concerns’ with governor’s Prop. 98 calculation – by Kathryn Baron.

EdSource Today: Credentialing commission head says California teachers lead way in stress levels

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Against the backdrop of a national survey showing half of teachers experiencing “great stress” on the job, the head of California’s teacher credentialing commission says that stress levels among the state’s teachers are likely to be even higher.

“I would think California would be at the forefront of this group (of stressed-out teachers) and teachers’ stress levels here even higher,” said Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of Education at Stanford University’s School of Education and chair of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. “California’s teachers are undoubtedly stressed and very concerned about the level of support for children and schools and teachers in this society.”

via Credentialing commission head says California teachers lead way in stress levels – by Susan Frey.

EdSource Today: Study compliments and questions Brown’s funding formula

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An analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California, released Wednesday, praises Gov. Jerry Brown’s overall plan for school finance reform, while raising questions about elements of the formula that would steer substantially more money to disadvantaged students.

“The governor’s series of reform proposals are in keeping with many of the principles of good school finance reform,” conclude Margaret Weston, a PPIC research fellow, and Heather Rose, a UC Davis associate professor of education. And his “very explicit and simple” Local Control Funding Formula funnels additional resources to students who most need them. But achieving a consensus on the formula “faces a specific and difficult challenge: agreeing on the appropriate weights for disadvantaged students,” they said.

via Study compliments and questions Brown’s funding formula – by John Fensterwald.

Daily Republic Letter: Beware upcoming tax measures

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Bob Jarvis, Fairfield

Never mind warning Julius Caesar to “Beware the Ides of March.” More timely advice would be Californians beware of upcoming tax measures.

 

Last November’s Proposition 30 is a good example of how the Legislature uses seemingly good ideas like helping schools to expand into cash grabs against everyone who maintains a residence in California.

via Beware upcoming tax measures.

Daily Republic: Friends recall Genelle Renee Conway-Allen for her smiles, love of poetry

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by Danny Bernardini

FAIRFIELD — Friends described a girl who always introduced herself to students with a smile.

Genelle Renee Conway-Allen loved poetry and music, posting lyrics or poems on her walls. The 13-year-old Suisun City resident was called a big-hearted, lovable girl by those who knew her.

via Friends recall homicide victim for her smiles, love of poetry.

Daily Republic: Suisun City councilwoman speaks at Armijo’s black history program

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by John Glidden

FAIRFIELD — “You are more than your circumstances.”

With more than 70 Armijo High School students in attendance Wednesday afternoon as part of a Black History Month presentation, newly elected Suisun City Councilwoman Lori Wilson stressed that phrase as she spoke about the obstacles she faced growing up in an abusive home, and as a single mother in high school.

Wilson began the program by describing the day when she was 8 and her teacher told her “Lori, you are more than your circumstances.”

via Suisun City councilwoman speaks at Armijo’s black history program.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo school board reviews school safety efforts

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By Lanz Christian Bañes/Times-Herald staff writer/

The Vallejo school board revisited Wednesday the steps the district has taken in the last two years to combat bullying and improve safety.

“The fact that bullying is all too common in our society does not mean it’s inevitable in our schools,” Superintendent Ramona Bishop said.

Her lengthy presentation comes after two months of vocal agitation from parents of bullied children. However, none of those parents who accused the Vallejo City Unified School District of failing to protect their children attended Wednesday’s meeting.

via Vallejo school board reviews school safety efforts.

Benicia Patch: BUSD School District Looks At Election Year Changes Tonight

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by Derek Wilson

It’s not a change that will necessarily be obvious on campus, but the the Benicia School Board is considering a move that could save the district thousands of dollars.

The school board meets Thursday at 7 p.m., following a closed session meeting, to consider moving its elections to even years in order to piggyback on state elections.

via School District Looks At Election Year Changes Tonight.

The Educated Guess: More California students taking, passing AP exam

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by Kathryn Baron

California students ranked in the top 10 nationwide for their passing rate on last year’s Advanced Placement exams. Nearly 145,000 high school seniors from the class of 2012, about 37 percent, took at least one AP test and nearly a quarter of them passed, according to the latest results released Wednesday by the College Board. AP tests are scored on a scale of one to five and students who earn a three or higher often receive college credit for class.

via More California students taking, passing AP exam – by Kathryn Baron.

TEDTalks (video): Andreas Schleicher: Use data to build better schools

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How can we measure what makes a school system work? Andreas Schleicher walks us through the PISA test, a global measurement that ranks countries against one another — then uses that same data to help schools improve. Watch to find out where your country stacks up, and learn the single factor that makes some systems outperform others.

What makes a great school system? To find out, Andreas Schleicher administers a test to compare student performance around the world.

via TED: Andreas Schleicher: Use data to build better schools – Andreas Schleicher (2012).

Vallejo Times-Herald: Benicia High lunchtime closure heads for a vote

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The Benicia school board will consider Thursday closing the high school campus during lunchtime.

The item comes to the board after a months-long and extensive process that gauged the opinions of both Benicia High School staff and students and the larger community.

via Benicia High lunchtime closure heads for a vote.

FSUSD’s Facebook Wall: Watch a delightful video of the February 2 Kindergarten Readiness Roundup

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CLASS OF 2026: Are You Ready for Kindergarten?
Watch a delightful video of the February 2nd Kindergarten Readiness Roundup at:

https://docs.google.com/a/fsusd.org/file/d/0B9J5RDcIIConbWpQbWNMYVVCX0E/edit?usp=sharing

Many thanks to First 5 Solano, Solano Parent and Child Education (SPACE) and our FSUSD Adult Education staff for this wonderful opportunity.

NEXT ROUNDUP: FEBRUARY 23 AT SHELDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!

via CLASS OF 2026: Are You Ready for Kindergarten?
Watch a delightful video of the….

EdSource Today: State releases district breakdowns under school funding formula

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Districts and charter schools now know how they’d make out under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed Local Control Funding Formula, his plan for sweeping school finance reform. The state Department of Finance posted the long-awaited district-by-district breakdown and a two-page overview Wednesday. The 80-page chart calculates districts’ base per student funding for 2011-12 as a comparison and lists funding for the next two years and full per student funding in seven years – if projected state revenues hold up.

Brown’s proposed formula promises to simplify and rationalize the state’s idiosyncratic and irrational funding system, with its complex rules governing dozens of “categorical” programs with funding designated for special purposes. Starting off with what districts now receive in base funding (known as “revenue limit” funding), it would create a new financing system as additional money becomes available from increased revenues generated by an improving state economy, and past debts that the state owes to schools are paid off.

via State releases district breakdowns under school funding formula – by John Fensterwald.

California Watch: K–12: In California, thousands of teachers missing needed credentials

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by Joanna Lin

The last time Charlie Parker took a social studies class, he was a teenager with an Afro and Jimmy Carter was president of the United States. Yet here he was, standing at the front of a classroom, trying to teach dozens of high schoolers subjects that never appealed to him when he learned them more than 30 years ago.

On his first day teaching U.S. history, world history and economics at McAlister High School in Los Angeles nearly four years ago, Parker struggled to keep his course materials straight and handed a student the wrong textbook. Some days, his students’ questions went unanswered or were directed to the Internet. Later, Parker said, when his students took state tests, their scores were low.

via In California, thousands of teachers missing needed credentials.

California Watch: K–12: State’s calculation of teacher misassignments gives skewed rate

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by Joanna Lin

Teachers are required by law to have appropriate credentials, authorizations or permits for the subjects and students they teach.

But in California every year, thousands of teachers do not. They instruct English-language learners without the training to do so, teach U.S. history when they’re licensed to teach biology and serve students with disabilities whose needs they’re not prepared to address.

via State’s calculation of teacher misassignments gives skewed rate.

Benicia Herald: City schoolchildren raise money for 2 state parks

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By Donna Beth Weilenman, Staff Reporter

In a contest modeled after an event in which school children gave pennies for a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty, Benicia school children have raised money for the city’s pair of state parks, said Mike Caplin, Benicia State Parks Association spokesman.

The fundraiser for the Statue of Liberty took place in 1885. “School children across America collected pennies toward the construction of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor,” Caplin said.

via City schoolchildren raise money for 2 state parks.

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: John Galvan, Solano County Board of Education Trustee Area 3, was honored

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John Galvan, Solano County Board of Education Trustee Area 3, was honored with a proclamation by the SCOE Board of Education and Jay Speck, Solano County Superintendent of Schools at the Board’s regular meeting on February 13. The proclamation lists Mr. Galvan’s many accomplishments in education since 1962 –over 50 years! Mr. Galvan taught at Benicia High School, was principal at Liberty High School, and worked for the Benicia Unified School District as its technology coordinator.

via John Galvan, Solano County Board of Education Trustee Area 3, was honored with a….

Public Policy Institute of California: California School District Revenue and Student Poverty: Moving Toward a Weighted Pupil Funding Formula

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Governor Brown has proposed a new funding system—known as a weighted pupil formula—that would direct more revenue to California school districts serving many economically disadvantaged students. This report examines the relationship between funding and student disadvantage and addresses questions about converting the current school finance system to a weighted pupil formula.

via PUBLICATION: California School District Revenue and Student Poverty: Moving Toward a Weighted Pupil Funding Formula.