EdSource Today: Bill would require school districts to clarify the role of campus police

Unlike most school safety legislation introduced after the Newtown shootings, which called for increased security measures and beefing up school police forces, a bill by one California assemblyman takes a different tack: It seeks to limit the police role on school campuses.

Concerned about an overreaction to the shootings, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, introduced Assembly Bill 549, which would encourage school districts to clarify the roles of school police, limiting them to handling dangerous or physically violent situations. The legislation calls for the roles of counselors, administrators, teachers and police to be outlined in school districts’ safety plans.

via Bill would require school districts to clarify the role of campus police – by Susan Frey.

EdSource Today: State Supreme Court taking up question of who should administer shots to students

The debate in the California Supreme Court this week about whether schools must provide a licensed school nurse to administer insulin to diabetic schoolchildren comes as the school nursing profession is reeling from job cuts as well as position replacements by part-time licensed vocational nurses and health aides, said Linda Davis-Alldritt, president of the National Association of School Nurses.

“Before Proposition 13, it used to be that just about every school in California had a full-time school nurse,” said Davis-Aldritt, who served as the state school nurse consultant for the California Department of Education from 1996-2012. “Now there are very few.” It is common practice now for a nurse to serve four or five different schools in a district, she said.

via State Supreme Court taking up question of who should administer shots to students – by Jane Meredith Adams.

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: Solano County Academic Bowl at New Foundations (photos)

Students at the New Foundations Residential Treatment Facility in Fairfield put their knowledge of Russian history to the test when they participated in the 2013 Solano County Academic Bowl on May 29. The Academic Bowl is based on the successful Academic Decathlon program. New Foundations students shared their knowledge of Russian history and leaders, from Peter the Great to Vladimir Putin, as they participated in a written exam, an individual presentation, and a team super quiz.

via Students at the New Foundations Residential Treatment Facility in Fairfield put….

Vallejo Times-Herald: Jesse Bethel students celebrate college entry

By Lanz Christian Bañes Times-Herald staff writer/

For the first time, Jesse Bethel High School gathered its entire graduating class Thursday to celebrate students heading off to college.

“It’s a huge accomplishment. It’s why you’re eating cake,” Principal Linda Kingston said.

Kingston listed each college a Bethel student will attend this summer or in the fall, asking those associated with those schools to stand up.

via Jesse Bethel students celebrate college entry.

EdSource Today: Poll showing strong voter support for revised budget

By 

Voter support is giving Gov. Jerry Brown a tailwind as he heads into negotiations over the state budget and school finance reform with the Legislature.

A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that Californians continue to overwhelmingly back Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, even though superintendents of suburban districts are very unhappy with the share they’d get, and Democrats in the Senate and Assembly want to change parts of it. The poll found 77 percent of all respondents, 83 percent of public school parents and 87 percent of Democrats favored it after hearing a one-sentence description that said the LCFF would give each district more than it got this year and would funnel additional dollars to English learners and low-income students. Even a majority of Republicans (57 percent) supported it. The level of support was 6 percentage points higher than in April, even though Brown’s plan has received more scrutiny.

via Poll showing strong voter support for revised budget – by John Fensterwald.

Dixon Tribune’s Facebook Wall: Dixon graduates look to a bright future

Brianna Boyd
Editor

People have told them over the years they would never be able to do it. Obstacles were tossed in their way that would knock down even the strongest individuals. There were days when even they questioned if they could accomplish this life-changing goal.

But on Wednesday night, surrounded by their proud and cheering family and friends, 28 graduates from Maine Prairie High proved they could overcome the odds to receive their high school diplomas.

via Graduates look to a bright future

Attendance Works: California Forum On Chronic Absence Highlights Interagency Cooperation

Standing together before an audience of nearly 100 representatives of state and local agencies, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Secretary of Health and Human Services Diane Dooley on Tuesday discussed the need to work collaboratively to reduce chronic absence across California. “One of my top priorities is to address chronic absenteeism,” said Torlakson who seeks to build bridges to others in state leadership positions such as Attorney General Kamala Harris.

Torlakson emphasized the need to get beyond truancy and look at all the causes of chronic absence. The California Department of Education has produced a Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) handbook to help local attendance boards address absenteeism and included chronic absence as a criteria for its annual model SARB awards. “We can have our best teachers in place, but if our students are not there, it doesn’t make a difference,” he said.

via California Forum Highlights Interagency Cooperation.

EdSource Today: California Head Start teachers lag behind national average in earning bachelor’s degrees

Sixty-two percent of Head Start teachers nationwide now hold a bachelor’s degree, surpassing a federal guideline calling for at least half of the teachers to hold the advanced degree by this fall, according to a brief by the New America Foundation released earlier this month.

In California, only 48 percent of Head Start teachers have met that bar, according to the California Head Start Association.

via California Head Start teachers lag behind national average in earning bachelor’s degrees – by Lillian Mongeau.

EdSource Today: Fewer school districts in financial trouble

The number of California school districts facing financial distress has fallen by more than 50 percent, down to 92 from 188 a year ago, according to figures released Tuesday by the State Department of Education.

The Department releases two interim status reports a year identifying which of the 1,037 school districts, county offices of education and joint powers agencies are in financial jeopardy.

via Fewer school districts in financial trouble – by Kathryn Baron.

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: New bus baby!

Kerri Garder, SCOE’s Transportation Manager, shared a photo of school bus driver Jesica Badillo, pictured seated in the middle, and the other SCOE bus drivers, during Badillo’s recent baby shower. “Jesica is expecting her fourth child, a baby girl, on August 16,” said Gardner. “The excitement within our department is contagious and we all are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new bus baby!”

via Kerri Garder, SCOE’s Transportation Manager, shared a photo of school bus driver….

The Reporter: Solano County leaders see link between crime, dropout rates

By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

One Solano County leader noted that 5,000 Solano County public school students have been identified as chronically absent. Another noted that 75 percent of habitual truants will drop out of school, and some two-thirds of U.S. prison inmates are school dropouts. And still another leader said 50 percent of all Solano 5-year-olds receive no preschool instruction before reaching kindergarten.

Jay Speck, superintendent of the County Office of Education, District Attorney Don du Bain and Supervisor Linda Siefert made persuasive links between the importance of early childhood education, regular school attendance, truancy, dropout rates and crime during a Tuesday breakfast meeting in Fairfield, sponsored by Solano Economic Development Corporation.

via Solano County leaders see link between crime, dropout rates.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo High, community discuss critical safety report

By Lanz Christian Bañes Times-Herald staff writer

About 200 people picked apart Wednesday a recent Solano County Grand Jury report highly critical of safety issues at Vallejo High School.

Opinions varied, with some supporting the report’s 15 findings and recommendations while others criticized the jury’s methodology during a special school board meeting at Vallejo High’s auditorium.

Willie Mims, a retired teacher from Peoples High School, questioned how well the grand jury understands Vallejo High’s challenges because the 19-member grand jury is largely white.

via Vallejo High, community discuss critical safety report.

EdSource Today: Disparities in education can crush aspirations in heart of Silicon Valley

By 

Sunnyvale, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is home to such high-tech fixtures as Yahoo!, Juniper Networks, AMD and Applied Micro, plus aerospace/defense operations of Lockheed Martin and Honeywell. Yet few Latinos who grow up in their shadow are qualified to work for those companies.

The disconnect between aspirations and reality starts early. Only 10 percent of Latinos, who comprise 42 percent of students in Sunnyvale Elementary District, are proficient in algebra by the end of 8th grade, a key measure of getting students on track for a career in science, engineering and math.

via Disparities in education can crush aspirations in heart of Silicon Valley – by John Fensterwald.

The Reporter: Maine Prairie High School graduates prepare for next step

By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

Twenty-nine graduates from Maine Prairie High School kicked off the area’s celebratory season of commencements Wednesday in the Dixon High School theater, packed beyond its 370-seat capacity with excited families, friends and relatives, many of them cradling flower bouquets or holding aloft bunches of shiny balloons.

In an interview after the 6 p.m. ceremony, Dixon Unified Superintendent Brian Dolan said he spent several weeks with the students this past year, getting to know them personally when Principal Yvette Ramos took bereavement leave from the East C Street campus.

via Maine Prairie High School graduates prepare for next step.

Education Week: Campaign Against Restraint and Seclusion Launches With New Film

New Hampshire-based filmmaker Dan Habib, whose first documentary, “Including Samuel,” chronicled the life of his family, which includes a son with cerebral palsy, is back with another film that talks about restraint and seclusion from the perspective of students.

Tonight’s premiere of “Restraint and Seclusion: Hear our Stories” marks the kickoff of the Stop Hurting Kids campaign, an effort by a coalition of 26 disability advocacy groups to stop the use of restraint and seclusion as a means to curb disruptive behavior.

via Campaign Against Restraint and Seclusion Launches With New Film.

Dixon Tribune’s Facebook Wall: Close to 300 Dixon teens will graduate this week

Brianna Boyd
Editor

Close to 300 Dixon Unified seniors will march to the sounds of Pomp and Circumstance and receive their high school diplomas this week in front of family and friends.
Maine Prairie High School will award diplomas to 29 graduates at a 6 p.m. ceremony today inside the Dixon High theater. Dixon High School will present diplomas to approximately 260 of its graduating seniors at a 9 a.m. ceremony Saturday on the school’s Finney Field.

via Close to 300 Dixon teens will graduate this week

Daily Republic Letter: Senior exit exam not fair

Myrna Greene

Fairfield

I’m a concerned parent and I’m not very happy how the state says seniors can’t walk the stage if they don’t pass the senior exit exam.

It’s not fair to them; especially, if they earned all their credits. My daughter has all her credits and passed the English, but not the math. She can retake it but won’t get results back in time for graduation.

via Senior exit exam not fair.

Daily Republic: Solano EDC breakfast focuses on children

FAIRFIELD — First 5 Solano made a pitch to the business community on Wednesday concerning the county’s youth.

The group hosted the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast. It asked businesses and individuals to sponsor sending children to pre-kindergarten academies this summer.

“Today, our goal is really to pique your interest and get your commitment on behalf of Solano County’s youngest citizens,” Solano County Supervisor Linda Seifert told the gathering at the Hilton Garden Inn.

via Solano EDC breakfast focuses on children.

Daily Republic: Innovation Day lets Crystal Middle School students choose what they learn

SUISUN CITY — The students at Crystal Middle School decided what they wanted to learn Wednesday as the school offered its first Innovation Day.

Students wrote proposals with their ideas, submitted them and were matched with instructors who could offer knowledge in the field in which the student was working.

A rally, with video broadcast live to classrooms, kicked off the special morning.

via Innovation Day lets students choose what they learn.

CA Dept of Education: New, Online Smarter Balanced Practice Tests

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson encouraged students, educators, and parents to try out the Smarter Balanced Practice Tests launched today to familiarize themselves and the public with the new generation of computer-based assessments students will take starting in the 2014-15 school year.

via New, Online Smarter Balanced Practice Tests.