High school students get insider’s view of medical profession – Daily Republic

By Amy Maginnis-Honey

VALLEJO — Eptisam Lambo knows she wants a career in medicine. Her early choice is neurosurgery.

The incoming Mare Island Technology Academy senior may reconsider her specialty after attending the 2013 Biotech Academy Touro Summer Internship. A workshop on osteopathic medicine, presented by Dr. Janet Burns, piqued her interest.

via High school students get insider’s view of medical profession Daily Republic.

Special Education Groups Criticize House NCLB Rewrite – Education Week

By Christina Samuels

Groups representing special education administrators and teachers as well as people with disabilities have given a big thumbs down to a House bill that would reauthorize the long-delayed Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as No Child Left Behind.

My colleague Alyson Klein has done a thorough job explaining the political machinations behind the bill, known as HR 5 or the Student Success Act, which passed yesterday on a 221-207 vote. No House Democrats voted in favor. The Senate education committee passed its own version of the ESEA in June, but it has yet to be taken up by the full Senate.

via Special Education Groups Criticize House NCLB Rewrite – On Special Education – Education Week.

The NCLB Reauthorization Edition of the Friday Reading List (Better on Monday Morning) – Education Week

By Alyson Klein

Still recovering from No Child Left Behind on the House floor? So are we. But before you put your copy of H.R. 5, aka “the Student Success Act” on the shelf, check out these good reads:

More lawmakers and officials put in their two cents on NCLB reauthorization late Friday. Rep. John A. Boehner, the speaker of the House and an original author of NCLB, said the law was past ready for a makeover. “I remain proud of what we accomplished more than a decade ago, but the simple fact is that our nation’s education policies are long overdue for an update.” More here. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the top Republican on the Senate education committee, is delighted with the House’s move to scrap a mandate that states craft evaluation systems based on student outcomes. He said the House bill is now a “kissing cousin” of his own legislation. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released a very long anti-endorsement that does nothing to disguise his frustration with Brokedown Congress. Snippet below, read the rest here.

via The NCLB Reauthorization Edition of the Friday Reading List (Better on Monday Morning) – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

More powerful version of K-5 DATT now available! « Attendance Works

Attendance Works is now offering a more powerful version of our K-5 District Attendance Tracking Tool (DATT). In response to requests from many communities, the new version of the K-5 DATT generates reports showing chronic absence patterns by zip code and by gender and ethnicity combined.

via More powerful version of K-5 DATT now available! « Attendance Works.

Districts leave Washington without waiver but still confident one is coming | EdSource Today

By John Fensterwald

Representatives of nine California districts did not head home from Washington on Friday, after two and a half days of intense discussions with federal officials, with the waiver from the No Child Left Behind law that they had been hoping for.

But Rick Miller, executive director of the nonprofit district collaborative that is submitting the waiver application, called the talks “productive” and said the districts are “one iteration away” from finishing a document for a final up or down decision by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Duncan did not participate in the discussions last week, Miller said.

via Districts leave Washington without waiver but still confident one is coming | EdSource Today.

Let districts choose from an effective marketplace of Common Core providers | EdSource Today

By Merrill Vargo / commentary

After a long period of hesitation, California has finally gotten serious about the Common Core State Standards. The $1.25 billion recently allocated for implementation of the new standards has sent a clear message to district leaders that California is committed to the Common Core. This funding is a start, but providing the tools districts will need in the time available will be a major challenge for state leaders.

via Let districts choose from an effective marketplace of Common Core providers | EdSource Today.

New grants to help military children at school | EdSource Today

By Jane Meredith Adams

School districts that serve children in military families got a funding boost from the Department of Defense this week in new grants for training staff with the goal of decreasing discipline referrals, improving healthy eating habits, and boosting math, science and language arts skills.

“We have a significant contingent of military families and we are always seeking ways to support them,” said Cathy Pierce, superintendent of Santee School District in San Diego County, which received a $405,000 grant to increase “students’ and parents’ feeling of connectedness to school,” improve resources for parents, and reduce discipline referrals. “This grant will help us put additional counselors at two of our schools,” she said, noting that the counselors will serve all students.

via New grants to help military children at school | EdSource Today.

School board race is off to a slow start – The Dixon Tribune | Facebook

Brianna Boyd, Editor

The race for three seats on Dixon Unified’s board of trustees is off to a relatively slow start, with only one person pulling papers to run so far.

The declaration of candidacy period for the November election opened on Monday and since then, only one individual, Caitlin O’Halloran, has picked up the necessary paperwork from Solano County’s Registrar of Voters Office.

via School board race is off to a slow start… – The Dixon Tribune | Facebook.

President asked to veto GOP reauthorization of No Child Left Behind | EdSource Today

By Kathryn Baron

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan called on President Obama to veto a Republican-sponsored reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act if it should come before him. The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed H.R. 5, dubbed the Student Success Act and authored by House education committee chair, Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., on a straight party-line vote of 221 to 207.

It’s a sharp reversal of the broad bipartisan support surrounding the first incarnation of NCLB, which was sponsored by such unlikely allies as liberal Massachusetts Democrat Edward Kennedy in the Senate and conservative Republican John Boehner of Ohio in the House. The new bill is also a departure from the strong accountability measures built into Bush’s version of NCLB.

via President asked to veto GOP reauthorization of No Child Left Behind | EdSource Today.

Vacaville School Board denies charter school petition – Daily Republic

By Mike Corpos

VACAVILLE — The Vacaville School Board denied a petition by Pacific Valley Charter Academy to fall under district oversight during Thursday’s board meeting.

After nearly 90 minutes of sometimes heated discussion between representatives of the school, which currently operates a downtown campus, Heritage Peak, ended with a 4-2 roll call vote to deny the charter, said board President David McCallum.

via Vacaville School Board denies charter school petition Daily Republic.

Vallejo remembers Trayvon Martin with rally at Jesse Bethel High – Vallejo Times Herald

By Lanz Christian Bañes Times-Herald staff writer/

About 200 people attended a peaceful rally Saturday at Jesse Bethel High School in Vallejo to express frustration over last week’s acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer.

“Some people would question why the (Vallejo City Unified) School District would be involved with the (rally). My question is, why not?” said Hazel Wilson, president of the Vallejo school board, at the start of the hour-long program.

via Vallejo remembers Trayvon Martin with rally at Jesse Bethel High – Vallejo Times Herald.

Music, art fundraising event set up for local students – Daily Republic

By Danny Bernardini

FAIRFIELD — A fundraiser last held in 2009 is coming back this month that will feature Bay Area acts for the benefit of local students.

The Night of the Dream concert and art event will take place at 7 p.m. July 27 in the Fairfield Center for Creative Arts at 1035 Texas St. The event, which has a 1950s theme, is sponsored by the Matt Garcia Foundation and will benefit the Legacy Program at Green Valley Middle School and the Save Our Athletics Program.

via Music, art fundraising event set up for local students Daily Republic.

Vacaville school board approves study for Wood football field – Daily Republic

By Mike Corpos

VACAVILLE — In a unanimous voice vote and to much positive reaction, the Vacaville School Board this week approved $27,000 for a cost and feasibility study for a potential football stadium at Will C. Wood High.

After a series of interviews, a community stakeholder committee of students, parents, district officials and community representatives selected HMC Architects to conduct the study.

via Vacaville school board approves study for Wood football field Daily Republic.

Solano College winds down 2002 bond-money projects – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

ROCKVILLE — Yulian Ligioso chuckled as he pointed to his name plate, temporarily placed on the glass outside his new office. It’s affixed with blue industrial tape.

The vice president of finance and other Solano Community College administrators are living out of boxes these days now that Building 600 is closed. They moved to 360 Campus Lane, into new temporary digs, while their usual home was gutted, abated and renovated.

via Solano College winds down 2002 bond-money projects Daily Republic.

Editorial: UC insults public with its process of picking leader – Sacramento Bee

The University of California Board of Regents did not have a good week demonstrating it is attuned to concerns over transparency and taxpayer accountability.

Just six days after announcing her nomination, the regents hired Janet Napolitano, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, to be the next UC president. Just minutes before approving her and with no opportunity for the public and university community to weigh in, the regents announced her base annual salary – $570,000 – a vast sum more than the $199,700 she earned yearly protecting the United States from terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

via Editorial: UC insults public with its process of picking leader – Editorials – The Sacramento Bee.

House Passes Partisan NCLB Rewrite, But Rocky Road Still Ahead – Education Week

By Alyson Klein

After two days of partisan debate on an issue that used to bring Democrats and Republicans together in a kumbaya chorus, the House of Representatives passed a GOP-only reauthorization of the long-stalled No Child Left Behind Act.

The bill, approved 221-207, would maintain the NCLB law’s signature testing schedule and its practice of breaking out student-achievement data by particular groups of students (such as English-language learners and students in special education).

via House Passes Partisan NCLB Rewrite, But Rocky Road Still Ahead – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

Napolitano named new UC president amid student protests | EdSource Today

By Kathryn Baron

Homeland security chief Janet Napolitano will become the first woman to head the University of California in its 145-year history after her selection was approved Thursday by UC regents in a meeting recessed twice due to student protests.

Student regent Cinthia Flores cast the only no vote against the appointment, citing concerns over treatment of undocumented students.

via Napolitano named new UC president amid student protests | EdSource Today.

Holly Valentine: Stuff the Bus campaign seeking school supplies – The Reporter

By Holly Valentine

It may be hard to believe, but summer vacation is halfway over. Back-to-school sales are under way and parents are counting down the days until the ring of the first school bell, signifying the start of the 2013-14 school year.

For our local homeless youth, a regional Stuff the Bus campaign is under way to help provide them with greatly needed back-to-school supplies.

via Holly Valentine: Stuff the Bus campaign seeking school supplies – The Reporter.

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today

By Susan Frey

Ruth Dunn, 72, of Berkeley raises her hand during a current events class for older adults at the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley. Credit: Lillian Mongeau, EdSource Today

An effort to narrow adult education’s core mission is being met with resistance from advocates for older adult and parent education programs, which would lose funding under a budget compromise crafted by supporters of adult education and Gov. Jerry Brown.

“A lot of people think supporting older adult and parent ed programs is a lost cause,” said Kristen Pursley, who teaches English as a Second Language courses at West Contra Costa Adult Education. “But we think they are too important to give up.”

via Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today.

Vallejoans plan Trayvon Martin rally on Saturday at Jesse Bethel High School – Vallejo Times Herald

By Lanz Christian Bañes/Times-Herald staff writer/

Vallejo organizations are rallying Saturday at Jesse Bethel High School, one week after a Florida jury acquitted Trayvon Martin’s killer of all charges.

“I was absolutely angry,” said the Rev. Danny Jefferson, pastor of Rehoboth World Outreach Center and one of the rally organizers.

via Vallejoans plan Trayvon Martin rally on Saturday – Vallejo Times Herald.