Monthly Archives: December 2013

Solano County student homeless numbers hit record high – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

A record 2,200 students attending Solano County public schools were homeless this past year, a nearly 40 percent increase from the previous year and a nearly four-fold increase since 2010-11, the Solano County Office of Education reported.

Based on SCOE midyear data released in January and year-end data released earlier this fall, all but Vacaville Unified School District reported increases from last year. Some districts, including Travis, Dixon and Vallejo City, reported a doubling or more in homeless student numbers.

Also, the county’s largest school district, Fairfield-Suisun, which is tracking some 1,110 homeless students, accounted for nearly half of the county numbers.

via Solano County student homeless numbers hit record high – The Reporter.

To Get Kids Exercising, Schools Are Becoming Creative : Shots – Health News : NPR

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Avery Stackhouse, age 7, of Lafayette, Calif., says he wishes he had more time for phys ed.

“We just have it one day a week — on Monday.” There’s always lunch and recess, he says.  “We play a couple of games, like football and soccer,” he tells Shots.

But at Happy Valley Elementary, where he goes to school, recess last only 15 minutes and lunch is 45. Between eating and mingling, he says, “there’s only a few minutes left where we play games and all that.”

Fifty-six percent of parents say their elementary school kids are getting just one or two days of physical education a week, according to a poll NPR conducted in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health

via To Get Kids Exercising, Schools Are Becoming Creative : Shots – Health News : NPR.

Community schools gaining traction under state’s new funding formula | EdSource Today

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By Jane Meredith Adams

Efforts to create full-service community schools that focus on serving the “whole child” with a wide array of services are gaining traction under the state’s new funding formula for schools.

The convergence of more money for low-income students and a new mandate to work with families under the Local Control Funding Formula has created “a unique point of time” for community schools to thrive, said Renee Newton, director of the Center for Community School Partnerships at UC Davis.

via Community schools gaining traction under state’s new funding formula | EdSource Today.

Vallejo school board to choose new president – Vallejo Times Herald

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Times-Herald staff report/Posted:

The Vallejo school board will choose a new president Wednesday during its annual organizational meeting.

The current board president is Hazel Wilson, the board’s longest-serving member who last year succeeded trustee Adrienne Waterman.

The board will also choose a new vice president, currently trustee Tony Ubalde.

via Vallejo school board to choose new president – Vallejo Times Herald.

County program gives deaf students an extra boost – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

There was a time not too long ago when Vicky Del Real was embarrassed to let anyone know she was hard of hearing.

The 16-year-old said she’d never wear her long black hair in a pony tail because didn’t want people to see her hearing aids.

“I would always have my hair down,” she said.

via County program gives deaf students an extra boost Daily Republic.

Dan Walters: Brown’s overhaul of California school finances sparks infighting over details – Sacramento Bee

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By Dan Walters

Gov. Jerry Brown’s landmark overhaul of public schools’ finances was aimed at their most vexing issue – chronically low academic achievements among poor or “English-learner” students.

Not only would more money be spent – billions more, in fact, thanks to a tax increase – but state aid would be “weighted” toward districts with large numbers of targeted kids.

via Dan Walters: Brown’s overhaul of California school finances sparks infighting over details – Bee Capitol & California – The Sacramento Bee.

Some sober words for school boards amid predictions of plenty | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

For the first time since the Great Recession, school districts are getting more money this year from the state; some – big beneficiaries of the new Local Control Funding Formula – are getting a lot. And that increase is expected to be larger next year, in one-time and ongoing money, if the Legislative Analyst’s predictions for a rebounding economy are on target.

School finance experts John Gray and Joel Montero, however, injected a cautionary note during a presentation Friday at the California School Boards Association’s annual convention in San Diego.

via Some sober words for school boards amid predictions of plenty | EdSource Today.

Foundation to aid Fairfield schools will disband – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

A foundation begun to aid Fairfield schools is shutting down after donating no money, having its nonprofit status suspended and holding a California Candy Festival fundraiser that lost money.

Jim Dunbar, president and a board member the Fairfield and Suisun Public Education Foundation, said some people may have expected the nonprofit to be a white knight helping public schools body slammed by budget cuts.

via Foundation to aid Fairfield schools will disband Daily Republic.

Shooting in front of a North Vallejo school leaves man with serious injuries – Vallejo Times Herald

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Times-Herald staff report

Vallejo police are investigating a shooting Sunday afternoon that left a man with life-threatening injuries.

The shooting was reported in front of Elsa Widenmann Elementary School on Whitney Avenue at about 2:35 p.m.

A victim, who had been shot multiple times on the upper body, was found on the ground in the middle of the street.

He was taken to an area trauma center for the injuries, where he was in surgery as of Sunday night.

via Shooting in front of a North Vallejo school leaves man with serious injuries – Vallejo Times Herald.

Educators don’t fret over low test scores – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Reacting to general criticism of the U.S. educational system, some local educators say continuing lackluster scores by U.S. students on an international assessment test in science, math and reading neither indicate that Americans are losing ground to competitors in the global market nor support the notion that school reform efforts have failed.

“It’s a little bit like comparing apples and oranges,” said Sue Brothers, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Travis Unified. “In the United States, we educate all kids. My concern is, when our top kids don’t rank. That’s bothersome.”

via Educators don’t fret over low test scores – The Reporter.

Bill Would Ease School Lunch Requirements – Rules for Engagement – Education Week

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By Evie Blad

Speaking of school lunches, U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota said Thursday she plans to introduce a bill called The Reducing Federal Mandates on School Lunch Act” that eases new federal school lunch standards created under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

According to a press release from Noem, a Republican, the legislation would:

  • “Make the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s temporary easing of the meat and grain requirements permanent, allowing schools more flexibility in serving meats and grains while still staying within calorie maximums”
  • “Give administrators flexibility on some of the rules that have increased costs for school districts”

 

via Bill Would Ease School Lunch Requirements – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

Education Department to Delay New Civil Rights Data Survey Questions – Education Week

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By Michele McNeil on

In response to a slew of complaints from schools and districts, the U.S. Department of Education is planning to delay for two years a significant expansion of its civil-rights data collection that asked more questions about student discipline and bullying.

The Education Department had wanted to dig deeper into school discipline and other issues starting in the 2013-14 school year. But now, that information won’t be required until the 2015-16 school year, according to new documents posted on the office for civil rights’ website.

via Education Department to Delay New Civil Rights Data Survey Questions – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

Financing the Education of High-Need Students : Education Next

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By Chester E. Finn, Jr.

America’s approach to the education of children with disabilities is antiquated, costly, and ineffective. “Special education” as we know it is broken—and repainting the surface won’t repair it. It cries out for a radical overhaul. Far too many children emerge from our special-ed system without the skills, knowledge, and competencies that they need for a successful life that fully capitalizes on their abilities. This ineffectual system is also very, very expensive. Yet for a host of reasons—inertia, timidity, political gridlock, fear of litigation, fear of interest groups, ignorance, lack of imagination, and so on—neither our education leaders nor our policy leaders have shown any inclination to modernize it. Instead, they settle for “paint jobs”—waivers and the like.

 

via Financing the Education of High-Need Students : Education Next.

Sylvan madrigal show in Vacaville debut for students, teacher – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The gradual shift in the Will C. Wood High music programs is well underway, with Colby Hawkins, a former Wildcat and member of the Sylvan Choirs, taking over where David Barthelmess left off in September, when the longtime teacher retired .

In December at the Marshall Road campus, a lot of attention turns to the choirs’ annual madrigal dinner, a tradition Hawkins, 28 and a graduate of Brigham Young University, plans to maintain by launching tonight at the Opera House his first performance as leader of the school’s acclaimed December show.

via Sylvan madrigal show in Vacaville debut for students, teacher – The Reporter.

Parents know little about funding law but want to get involved, EdSource survey finds | EdSource Today

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By Susan Frey

A new statewide survey by EdSource suggests that parents are eager to get involved in school district spending decisions, but underscores the need for districts to actively engage parents if they are to fulfill their new role under the state’s Local Control Funding Formula.

Across the board, parents are generally satisfied with their children’s schools, but the survey revealed differences between high- and low-income parents. The survey suggests that districts will need to make extra efforts to connect to low-income parents, who reported a higher degree of dissatisfaction with their child’s school than parents with higher incomes. Lower-income parents were also more likely to feel that only a small group of parents are engaged in decision-making opportunities at their child’s school.

via Parents know little about funding law but want to get involved, EdSource survey finds | EdSource Today.

Frazier to swear in 2 new Travis schools trustees – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

State Assemblyman Jim Frazier will swear in two new Travis School District trustees Tuesday.

John Dickerson, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant and information technology manager, and Riitta De Anda, a Vacaville business owner, will take their seats after the 5:30 p.m. swearing-in ceremony in the school board chambers at 2751 De Ronde Drive in Fairfield.

via Frazier to swear in 2 new Travis schools trustees Daily Republic.

Should Schools Teach Social Media Skills? | MindShift

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By Aarti Shahani

Taking selfies at funerals. Tagging pictures of teens drinking alcohol at parties. Kids (and adults for that matter) post a lot of silly stuff online — and although most of it is chatter, some of what might seem harmless leads to tragic consequences. But is it the job of schools to teach kids the dos and don’ts of social media?

At Lincoln High School in San Francisco’s Sunset district, counselor Ian Enriquez teaches students three very big words: “Disinhibition, reputation, anonymity.”

via Should Schools Teach Social Media Skills? | MindShift.

Eduwonk » Blog Archive » Will Privacy Pushback Slow The Spread Of Ed Tech?

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Politco posts Doug Sosnik’s latest political memo – they’re known for a smart and elevated take on various trends. Some discussion of education as it relates to social mobility in this one but Sosnik also sees as a major issue:

Pushing back on the violation of the public’s privacy by the government and big businesses. The United States lags far behind most of Europe—Germany in particular—when it comes to protecting individuals’ rights to privacy. Throughout Europe there are many more limits on the ability of government and private industry to gain access and use of personal data for their own purposes.

via Eduwonk » Blog Archive » Will Privacy Pushback Slow The Spread Of Ed Tech?.

Creating More Compassionate Classrooms | Edutopia

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By Joshua Block

I had been trying to start class for several minutes. Our normal post-weekend check-in had failed. Instead of hearing updates from each other, students were having side conversations about the school dance. Once I regained everyones attention, two girls walked in late and the whole class stopped to watch as they gave each other a consoling hug before they moved toward their seats.

I was losing patience. This was not the strong start I had envisioned for the first in-class workday of our project. “Who is ready to share the main question for their project?” I asked in an attempt to refocus everyone and manage the energy emanating from 33 frenetic 15- and 16-year-olds.

via Creating More Compassionate Classrooms | Edutopia.

Vallejo High students, parents learn about human trafficking – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Irma Widjojo

About 50 students and a few parents were given a wake up call Monday night about what some called a “plague.”

The Vallejo high schoolers attended a presentation on human trafficking by the Kappa Beta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

The students were also Willie B. Adkins scholars, a special program of the Vallejo City Unified School District and community to increase student enrollment in colleges.

via Vallejo High students, parents learn about human trafficking – Vallejo Times Herald.