Grange robotics team wins state championship – Daily Republic

By Adrienne Harris

The Grizzlybots are state champions.

Grange Middle School students Samuel Deal, Josh Purvis and Evan Poston won the VEX Robotics State Championship this weekend at Great America, said Grange math teacher Debbie Striek in a press release.

The Grizzlybot group, which formed an alliance with Raining Sunshine of San Jose and the Eaglebots of Santa Clara, have now qualified for the world championships next month in Anaheim.

via Grange robotics team wins state championship Daily Republic.

Solano, Benicia agencies map schools with security in mind – Vallejo Times Herald

By Lanz Christian Bañes and Irma Widjojo

Benicia has become the first Solano County city in which all its schools are participants in a program aimed at making schools more secure during emergencies.

All eight Benicia schools, private and public, as well as the Benicia Unified School District offices on East K Street, have been photographed and mapped out as part of the Solano County Office of Emergency Services’ School Safety Assessment project.

“It’s improved the safety of our students, and that’s what we’re all about,” said Michael Gardner, assistant superintendent for the Benicia Unified School District.

 

via Solano, Benicia agencies map schools with security in mind – Vallejo Times Herald.

Administrator trades school office time for family time – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

Kari Sousa’s office at the Educational Services Center is spacious and has a coveted large window that allows in sunlight.

It also has children’s artwork dotting the white board. Sousa said it’s her children’s favorite thing to do when they come to visit her at the Nut Tree complex.

That door will shut behind Sousa, 35, on Friday as one chapter as the district’s associate superintendent of business and administrative services ends and another, that of stay-at-home mom, begins.

via Administrator trades school office time for family time Daily Republic.

U.S. Senate Approves Child Care Block Grant Bill – Education Week

By Alyson Klein

The Child Care and Development Block Grant program would get a makeover for the first time since the mid-1990’s, under a measure that sailed through the U.S. Senate amid much bipartisan backslapping and self-congratulation.

The Child Care bill, which passed 97 to 1, is one of the first bipartisan education measures to clear the chamber recently, giving some advocates hope that Congress may finally be able to tackle the lengthy logjam on education issues.

The CCDBG program was initially designed as a way to help low-income parents cover the cost of child care so that they could go to work or further their education. The Senate bill doesn’t seek to dramatically expand the scope of the program, but it would add a new focus on program quality and safety.

via U.S. Senate Approves Child Care Block Grant Bill – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

District searches for new business superintendent – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

The search is on for a new associate superintendent of business services as Kari Sousa steps down to focus on her family.

Lettie Allen, who served in the position both in the Vacaville School District and with the Solano County Office of Education before her 2012 retirement, will step into the position as an interim.

“Letty stepped right up to the plate to support us,” Superintendent Ken Jacopetti said. “Even though she’s retired, she agreed to help us.”

The district will conduct a nationwide search over the next several months with the assistance of California School Services, an organization that Jacopetti said specializes in searches for school financial candidates.

via District searches for new business superintendent Daily Republic.

Vallejo schools upgrade tech in advance of field tests – Vallejo Times Herald

By Lanz Christian Bañes

Vallejo students will participate next month in a statewide assessment of new, entirely computerized standardized tests.

California this year is skipping most of its own exams to focus on field testing the Smarter Balance Assessment, an online test based on the new Common Core Standards adopted by most states.

“We are vastly ramping up for (the field test),” said LaTonya Derbigny, director of school and student accountability for the Vallejo City Unified School District, of the district’s preparations.

This spring’s testing is an evaluation of both the questions and technical aspects of the new Smarter Balance Assessments, not what students know, and there will be no evaluation of student performance.

via Vallejo schools upgrade tech in advance of field tests – Vallejo Times Herald.

Dixon, Fairfield boards face similar agendas – The Reporter

By Reporter Staff:

Annual budget information and updates on Local Control Accountability Plans (or LCAP, for short) are among the issues that will be discussed tonight by thegoverning boards in Dixon and Fairfield-Suisun unified school districts.

The budget, LCAP and information on samples of Smarter Balanced tests top the agenda in Dixon.

Cecile Nunley, the district’s chief business officer, will deliver the rural district budget’s second interim report.

In December, she noted the 3,500-student district has expenses of $27.7 million and revenues of $25.9 million, with $1.8 in deficit spending and an ending balance of $3.7 million.

via Dixon, Fairfield boards face similar agendas – The Reporter.

Measure V oversight meets tonight – The Reporter

Published by The Reporter:

When the Measure V Citizens’ Oversight Committee meets tonight, numbers and dollar signs — performance audits, quarterly reports, and budget and expense reports — will be on the agenda.

A representative from Crowe Horwath, Vacaville Unified’s auditors, will present the 2012-13 performance audit.

COC member and committee spokesman Jaysen Long will present quarterly reports for the first three quarters of the 2013-14 year. Final reports will be presented at the district’s March 20 governing board meeting.

Lastly, district staff and program managers will provide information on the budget and expenditure reports for current projects.

via Measure V oversight meets tonight – The Reporter.

Education Official Stresses Need for ‘Results-Driven Accountability’ – Education Week

By Christina Samuels

While states are being asked to change how they evaluate their special education programs, the U.S. Department of Education also plans to change the way it interacts with states, Michael Yudin, the acting assistant secretary of the office of special education and rehabilitative services, told state board leaders gathered for a legislative policy forum.

The new “results-driven accountability” framework will require states to make moves that improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities, Yudin told members of the National Association of State Boards of Education held Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel near Washington, D.C. Board members also planned to visit legislators as part of the conference.

via Education Official Stresses Need for ‘Results-Driven Accountability’ – On Special Education – Education Week.

Discipline Practices Fall Hardest on Minorities and Students With Disabilities – Education Week

By guest blogger Lesli A. Maxwell

The disparate rates at which schools suspend and expel African-Americans students and those with disabilities drive up the dropout risks for these already academically vulnerable students and help propel them into the juvenile justice system, according to a new set of reports that take a sweeping look at discipline practices across the nation’s public schools.

Likewise, Latino students, girls of color, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students also are disproportionately kicked out of classrooms for bad behavior, concludes the report by the Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative, a group of 26 experts from the fields of social science, education, and civil rights.

via Discipline Practices Fall Hardest on Minorities and Students With Disabilities – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

Ed. Dept.’s $135 Million Investing in Innovation Contest Starts Next Week – Education Week

By Michele McNeil

The U.S. Department of Education next week is beginning the first phase of its $134.8 million Investing in Innovation competition, which has so far awarded about $1 billion to schools and their nonprofit partners as they work to scale-up education-improvement ideas.

According to a notice to be published in tomorrow’s Federal Register, the Education Department on March 17 will start the contest by asking for pre-applications for its smallest “development” grants, which are worth up to $3 million. This screening process is a way for the department to whittle down the list of interested applicants to those who have the best shot of winning. (This is the third time the department is using the screening process.)

 

via Ed. Dept.’s $135 Million Investing in Innovation Contest Starts Next Week – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

Oakbrook Elementary invited to apply for Distinguished School status – SCOE/Facebook

Oakbrook Elementary School is one of 3 schools in Solano County to be invited to apply for Distinguished School status.

The California Distinguished School Award identifies and honors those schools that have demonstrated educational excellence for all students and progress in narrowing the achievement gap. In order to be invited to apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including designated federal and state accountability measures based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ESEA and the Academic Performance Index API requirements.

via Oakbrook Elementary School is one of 3… – Solano County Office of Education.

How to Teach the Standards Without Becoming Standardized | MindShift

by Katrina Schwartz

Is it possible for teachers to meet standards without teaching in a standardized way? This question is at the heart of the ambivalence around Common Core State Standards for many educators.

Supporters of the Common Core, including the developers and many educators, maintain that the new standards are a move away from No Child Left Behind because they focus on developing students’ skills rather than specific content areas that teachers should cover. But because a standardized test will be used to evaluate how effectively students are learning those skills, the temptation to try and teach to the test still exists.

Educators say they’re already feeling pressure from administrators to teach the same things at the same time in an attempt to ensure strong test results. “It certainly isn’t how you inspire teachers to stay in the classroom,” said veteran teacher Diana Laufenberg at EduCon conference hosted by Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia.

via How to Teach the Standards Without Becoming Standardized | MindShift.

Drop in Districts in Financial Trouble – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

SACRAMENTO—A new report shows that the number of California school districts in financial jeopardy has dropped sharply for the second year in a row, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

This year’s First Interim Status Report, FY 2013-14 shows that a total of 49 local educational agencies (LEAs) are either in negative or qualified financial status. This is down significantly from the last report—in May 2013—that showed 92 LEAs with this status, and is down even more significantly from the same report a year ago. In the First Interim Status report of 2013, there were 124 LEAs in financial jeopardy.

“Californians have put our schools back on the path toward economic recovery after several years and billions of dollars of cuts, and they are working hard to continue down that path,” Torlakson said. “Although our work won’t be done until every school is in solid financial shape, this is certainly movement in the right direction.”

via Drop in Districts in Financial Trouble – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education).

Benicia High graduate Michelle Gascoigne, Oklahoma honored by Obama in D.C. – Vallejo Times Herald

By Thomas Gase

The University of Oklahoma softball team has had many celebrations after winning the NCAA championship last season, but on Monday the Sooners may have saved the best one for last.

Sitting in the South Lawn of the White House, the Sooners were one of many national championship teams that were honored by President Barack Obama. The President even went on to praise womens teams for paving the way for his own daughters and other young women.

Benicia High graduate and former Sooners star left-handed pitcher Michelle Gascoigne took part of the festivities and toured the White House. The 2013 ERA leader for Division I even got to shake Obamas hand.

via Benicia High graduate Michelle Gascoigne, Oklahoma honored by Obama in D.C. – Vallejo Times Herald.

Youth intervention to stem violence focus of Vallejo town hall gathering – Vallejo Times Herald

By Sarah Rohrs

 

Rather than throwing the book at them if they commit crimes in their formative years, youth need to be steered into learning, instead, and into a path leading to college rather than prison.

Two congressmen voiced that sentiment Monday during a Town Hall forum held at Jesse Bethel High School. Attended by about 100 teens and other community members, the forum also touched on local violence and crime.

“We can lock up an even greater proportion of the population or take preventive measures early so that they don’t get into trouble in the first place,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat from Virginia.

via Youth intervention to stem violence focus of Vallejo town hall gathering – Vallejo Times Herald.

Travis Unified School District board faces busy agenda – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

A public hearing about school-support employees’ salaries, an update of the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), and ratification of a teacher salary negotiations “reopeners,” among other things, are on the agenda when Travis Unified leaders meet tonight in Fairfield.

Trustees will hold a public hearing about tentative proposals between the district and Chapter 454 of the California School Employees Association, then likely adopt a resolution for “reopeners” for the 2014-15 school year. Negotiators are considering a 2 percent wage hike.

Jim Bryan, assistant superintendent for educational services, will offer an update on the district’s LCAP. The plan details what educators, governing boards and teachers must do to educate students and how they are going to measure results.

via Travis Unified School District board faces busy agenda – The Reporter.

Some Disappointed With White House Special Education Funding Proposal – Education Week

By Christina Samuels

Special education advocates might be feeling a bit of bridesmaids syndrome right now.

Early education continues to get attention from the White House though whether administration plans will come to fruition in a skeptical Congress is another story. But the funding for special education, about $11.5 billion for fiscal 2014, is proposed to remain at $11.5 billion for fiscal 2015.

“We were really dismayed to see a budget come out of this administration that has not been supportive of the formula grant for special education,” said Kim Hymes, the senior director for policy and advocacy for the Council for Exceptional Children, in Arlington, Va.

via Some Disappointed With White House Special Education Funding Proposal – On Special Education – Education Week.

Benicia bond measure endorsed – Vallejo Times Herald

By Tony Burchyns

City officials Thursday voiced support for the school district’s proposed $49.6 million bond measure to fix aging classrooms.

The topic came up at the City Council / School Board Liaison Committee’s quarterly meeting at the Benicia Community Center.

“I think obviously this is important to the whole community and important to the city (government) too,” said City Manager Brad Kilger, who was Ceres’ city manager when that city overwhelmingly passed a 0.5 cent sales tax measure in 2007 to support public safety.

via Benicia bond measure endorsed – Vallejo Times Herald.

Benicia school board OKs just one layoff – Vallejo Times Herald

By Lanz Christian Bañes

The school district voted Thursday to lay off the equivalent of one full-time position.

“It is the least reduction we have had in our district in a number of years,” said Michael Gardner, assistant superintendent for human resources at the Benicia Unified School District.

The cuts included three sections of math at Benicia Middle School — related to a teacher returning to her job full-time — and the elimination at Benicia High School of one section of culinary arts due to low student interest and one section of sports medicine because the administration is expanding another class, Gardner said.

via Benicia school board OKs just one layoff – Vallejo Times Herald.