Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Reporter: Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District trustees face tough decisions

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By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

What’s on the agenda of tonight’s Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District board of trustees meeting is one thing. What’s actually on the mind of some teachers, students and parents is quite another.When board members meet in open session at 6 p.m. in the FSU Central Office in Fairfield, they are expected to take action on two, and possibly three, items under Business Services. No other votes are expected.

None of the action items — the Third Interim Report for 2011-12, a change in liability deductible, the district’s transportation safety plan — likely will stir the kind of debate or comment that may surface under the superintendent/ governing board or public remarks sections.

What students and parents want to know — no doubt sooner rather than later — is whether or not trustees will move ahead with plans to cut high school sports, football, basketball, baseball, among others, and extracurricular activities, including band, theater and school clubs.

via Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District trustees face tough decisions.

KCRA-TV: High School Sports Eliminated In Fairfield

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FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KCRA) –

California’s budget crisis has hit home in Fairfield, where high school football, basketball, baseball and other team sports are set for elimination this fall.

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District voted last February to cancel all high school sports — along with band, theater and school clubs to help offset a $6.5 million deficit.

The district already has made about $42 million in cuts, according to Jacki Cottingim-Dias, superintendent for the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.

She told KCRA 3 the only way to save the after-school programs would be more concessions from employees and additional donations from parents and people in the community.

via High School Sports Eliminated In Fairfield.

CBS 13-TV: Fairfield-Suisun School District Cutting Sports, Arts In Fall

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FAIRFIELD (CBS13) – The Fairfield-Suisuin Unified School District says cutting football, basketball, baseball, and other programs will save millions of dollars this fall.

School officials really got an ear full Wednesday night, and to say that the parents and students are upset is an understatement.

Emotions are running high at Armijo High School in Fairfield.
Parents and students packed the gym, wondering why this fall sports as they know it are over.

“As a parent what am I supposed to do?” said one parent.

via Fairfield-Suisuin School District Cutting Sports, Arts In Fall.

Education Week: Details of Romney’s School Choice Plan Emerge

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by Nirvi Shah

It’s official now: presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney wants to attach federal Title I and IDEA dollars to individual students, according to his remarks in Washington on Wednesday and his “A Chance for Every Child” plan for reforming education.

The proposal would give low-income students and students with disabilities the chance to pick which school they attend from among regular public schools, charter schools, and private schools, in states where that would be allowed by state law. (This is what my colleague Alyson Klein and I guessed from another document the Romney camp was circulating over the weekend.) Students could also use the money to pay for tutoring or online classes.

But it appears Romney didn’t consult with special education advocacy groups before making his pitch. While special education vouchers have grown in popularity in recent years, the number of programs is small, and the number of participants is also tiny.

via .

Education Week: Romney Calls for Using Title I, IDEA Funds for School Choice

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by Alyson Klein

WASHINGTON—Presumptive GOP nominee Gov. Mitt Romney called today for making federal funding for special education and disadvantaged students portable—meaning the money would follow students to any school their parents choose, including a private school.

Under his proposal, parents could also choose to use the funds under Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at charter schools, for online courses, or for tutoring. Title I is funded at $14.5 billion this year, and IDEA is funded at $11.6 billion, and any proposal to radically shift the use of that money would be almost certain to face a host of administrative, budgetary, and political hurdles from the Congress and statehouses on down.

Romney, who unveiled his education agenda at the Latino Coalition’s Annual Economic Summit in Washington Wednesday, is also calling for an expansion of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program, which President Barack Obama has sought to eliminate. He would also make it easier for high-quality charter schools to expand, a position that the Obama administration has also embraced.

via Romney Calls for Using Title I, IDEA Funds for School Choice.

Daily Republic: Solano college graduates nearly 300 students under sunny skies

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by David DeBolt

ROCKVILLE — Cheers filled Hollister Stadium on Wednesday, marking Solano Community College’s 66th graduation commencement. Approximately 290 students dressed in black gowns and black caps earned an associate degree.

For Angelica Grigsby, the day marks the end of six years at SCC. Grigsby, the student speaker, was proud of the six years she spent at SCC, even if community colleges are designed as a two-year endeavor.

She told the crowd that Solano Community College was just what she needed. She had no idea what she wanted to do and did not want to spend the tuition and fees at the four-year level until she was sure.

“That is the beauty of attending a community college first, it allows you to cheaply explore your options,” Grigsby said.

via Solano college graduates nearly 300 students under sunny skies.

Daily Republic: FSUSD parents, students vent over possible cuts to sports, clubs

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by David DeBolt

FAIRFIELD — The gravity of a school board vote in February to cut high school sports and many clubs and activities set in Wednesday night at a raucous meeting inside Armijo High School’s gymnasium.

Unless there is an eleventh-hour agreement by district unions to cover the costs or a swell of community fundraising, the board’s Feb. 23 vote to cut $450,000 in stipends will stand when the budget is finalized next month.

Gone will be all high school sports, yearbook club, Junior ROTC, student newspapers, pep band, drill team, academic decathlon, student government and other activities at Armijo, Fairfield and Rodriguez high schools.

A cut of that magnitude to sports would be historic. High school athletic officials at the state level said Wednesday they know of no district cutting all sports.

via Parents, students vent over possible cuts to sports, clubs.

Daily Republic Opinion: FSUSD athletes, parents looking for answers from district

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by Paul Farmer

It wasn’t meant to be a Q & A session and indeed it was heavy on the Q, frustratingly light on the A.

Armijo High principal Eric Tretton and his staff hosted a meeting at steamy E. Gary Vaughn Gymnasium on Wednesday designed to clear up concerns and misconceptions the school’s athletes and their parents have regarding the shaky state of high school sports in the Fairfield-Suisun School District.

The idea behind the meeting was noble. The mystery over whether sports are alive, dead or on life support is so great that dozens of athletes and parents from Fairfield and Rodriguez also attended.

via Athletes, parents looking for answers from district.

CA Dept of Education: California Career Center Launched

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SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today unveiled the new California Career Center External link opens in new window or tab. Web portal to help middle school and high school students explore their options and plan their next steps toward productive careers.

“Studies show that helping students connect their schoolwork to their future in the workforce helps keep them on track and headed for success,” Torlakson said. “The California Career Center Web portal gives students, parents, and teachers a one-stop shop to help demystify the process of moving from the classroom to careers.”

The portal, launched as part of Torlakson’s Career Readiness Campaign – Initiatives & Programs, provides the state’s first central, comprehensive Web site of career and college resources for students.

via California Career Center Launched.

Benicia Herald: BHS student newspaper to survive, go online

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By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

Benicia High School will have a journalism class next year, but it will be combined with a Web design class, Janice Adams, Benicia Unified School District superintendent, said Tuesday.

“I believe there will be a total of 15 students, seven who signed up for journalism and eight who signed up for Web design,” she said.

Steve Gibbs teaches the journalism class and is the faculty adviser to the school newspaper, the Paw, that the class produces. He said he’ll be the instructor of the combined class next year, and a print version of the Paw will continue to be published.

via Student newspaper to survive, go online.

The Educated Guess: Race to the Top opens up to districts

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By John Fensterwald – Educated Guess

California school districts will finally be able to seek Race to the Top money without interference and resistance from Gov. Jerry Brown and state officials.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Tuesday announced much anticipated draft criteria for a $400 million competition open to individual districts or groups of districts nationwide. That’s enough money to fund a projected 20 proposals for grants of $15 million to $25 million, Duncan said.

via Race to the Top opens up to districts – by John Fensterwald – Educated Guess.

The Educated Guess: Schools must repair their other damaged infrastructure: relationships

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By Merrill Vargo

Infrastructure is not sexy. It sounds like pipes, highways, and wiring. In education, it is both people and organizations, and it takes both kinds of infrastructure to deliver – but also to improve – education.

The problem is that budget cuts seek to preserve the service delivery infrastructure at the expense of the improvement infrastructure. We cut professional developers and coaches and keep classroom teachers.

This isn’t necessarily wrong: Teaching children is our first priority. But as California enters the “awareness” stage of work on Common Core State Standards, one of the things we are becoming aware of is that we have decimated the improvement infrastructure that we will desperately need if California is to do anything useful about the Common Core.

via Schools must repair their other damaged infrastructure: relationships – by Merrill Vargo.

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: Message from Jay Speck

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Dear SCOE Staff,

As the school year draws to a close, I want to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for everything you do to support the education of our students.

Every time I visit a SCOE classroom, school site, or office, I see the positive difference you make. Each one of you has a role to play in supporting student achievement. Despite current economic and daily challenges, you persevere and provide our students with high quality educational opportunities, a nurturing environment, and the real-life skills they need to succeed.

via Dear SCOE Staff, As the school year draws to a close, I want to take this oppor….

SFGate: Budget shortfall could mean shorter school year

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Wyatt Buchanan

Sacramento — California’s public schools could see as much as a month of classroom time slashed from the calendar if voters reject a plan to raise taxes in November.

Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed giving school districts the option of cutting up to 15 days from the school year if voters reject his proposed income and sales tax initiative. The significantly shortened year would help offset a multibillion-dollar automatic midyear cut that would be implemented upon rejection of the taxes.

via Budget shortfall could mean shorter school year.

Dan Walters: Jerry Brown struggles on three fronts on state budget

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As the state budget’s deficit widens, Gov. Jerry Brown is being thrust into a three-front political battle.

He must not only persuade voters to pass his sales and income tax package, but, implicitly, persuade them to reject a rival tax measure just for schools.

Meanwhile, Brown is pressing liberal Democratic legislators to ignore their political DNA by making deeper cuts in health and welfare programs, not only to close the deficit but to bolster appeals to voters for new taxes.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/23/4509837/dan-walters-jerry-brown-struggles.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy

via Dan Walters: Jerry Brown struggles on three fronts on state budget.

The Reporter: Youth topic of Solano Economic Development Corporation’s breakfast

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The importance of early childhood education — and how Solano County is preparing its young people for the future — will be featured Thursday at the Solano Economic Development Corporation’s breakfast.

First 5 Solano Children and Families Commission will host the program at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fairfield. Keynote speaker will be Catherine Atkin, executive director of Preschool California. She will be introduced by Matt Regan, vice president of Government Affairs for the Bay Area Council.

via Youth topic of Solano Economic Development Corporation’s breakfast.

Daily Republic: Thanks to PAL’s help in Fairfield, FSUSD students persevered

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By Melissa Murphy/ MMurphy@TheReporter.com

An abundance of applause echoed in Fairfield on Monday evening as 23 teens were honored in the City Council Chamber for their accomplishments and their involvement with the Police Activities League.

After the first “sash ceremony,” the high school seniors sported new black sashes emblazoned with PAL in big white letters and the Fairfield Police Department patch.

“I get to show them I finally accomplished something,” said Dashjay Carlton and Roosevelt Pray, who will both graduate from Fairfield High School in June. “It’s a sign of our experiences with PAL.”

via Thanks to PAL’s help in Fairfield, they persevered.

Education Week: Designing Common Core Tests For All Proving a Challenge

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by Nirvi Shah

Washington
Although more students with disabilities than ever are included in state testing programs, the task of giving these students high-quality assessments in the future that measure how adept they are at mastering the Common Core State Standards seems to have an endless number of hurdles to overcome before students face these new assessments in the 2014-15 school year.

And one of them has less to do with the test than with instruction, said Stephen N. Elliott, a professor of education at Arizona State University. Elliot spoke Tuesday at a U.S. Department of Education meeting addressing the challenges that remain in preparing new tests that all students are scheduled to take in 2014. This was the fourth meeting about the assessments.

via Designing Common Core Tests For All Proving a Challenge.

Education Week: Romney Considering Big School Choice Expansion

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by Alyson Klein

Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has been mulling some big changes to federal K-12 policy if elected, including allowing federal funding to follow students—even if they want to attend private schools—according to a campaign document obtained by Politics K-12.

Disadvantaged families and parents of students in special education could choose to spend federal funds at any district or charter public school, tutoring provider, or online course, according to the document circulated over the weekend. It outlines a series of ideas that have been considered by Romney and his advisers, which could be announced as early as this week. Under the proposal, students could also federal money at a private school, as long as that was consistent with state guidelines.

via Romney Considering Big School Choice Expansion.

Education Week: Romney Names Education Policy Advisers

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by Michele McNeil

From guest blogger Christina A. Samuels
Presumed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign has released a list of people who are advising the campaign on education issues, including a former U.S. Secretary of Education and a current state schools chief.

Serving as Rommey’s K-12 committee co-chairs will be Nina S. Rees, a former assistant deputy secretary for innovation and improvement at the U.S. Department of Education and currently the senior vice president for strategic initiatives at Knowledge Universe; and Martin R. West, an assistant professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and executive editor of Education Next.

via Romney Names Education Policy Advisers.

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