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TeachersWeekly Educational DigestPlease click on the digest you would like to view. Come back often for the latest Education News!November 25th & December 1st rNovember 25th and December 1stCommunity college students stuck in rut -- Students at California's community colleges are unlikely to earn associate's degrees or transfer to four-year universities, even if they enroll with those goals in mind, according to a new study from the Public Policy Institute of California. MARLA JO FISHER in the Orange County Register -- 11/25/06 Fewer kids, fewer schools -- On the surface, the numbers would hardly seem to furrow any eyebrows -- or fan waves of concern through the state's education community. The California Legislative Analyst's Office reports that K-12 public school enrollment -- or average daily attendance -- will drop next year by 6,000 students from a total of more than 6 million pupils statewide. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/25/06 $6 billion windfall a bonus to schools -- California schools are in line for a $6 billion windfall over the next five years, and interest groups are already lining up to get their share, promoting ideas like improving high schools, paying teachers more, and helping urban districts with severely declining enrollment. Lynda Gledhill in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/27/06 Football scores big in classroom -- Like many high schoolers, John Hagen's algebra students worry about passing. But they also worry about rushing. And receiving. And scoring. They've become miniature NFL coaches, tracking the performance of key players in their own fantasy football league. In the process, Hagen's previously math-resistant students have joined a growing number of kids who get a kick out of multiplying and dividing points and yards so they can see whose team came out on top. KIMRA McPHERSON in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/27/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/16106381.htm Influx of English learners a challenge for California -- Almost 30 percent of the non-English speakers in the United States live in California, many of them in households that are "linguistically isolated" because they lack adults or teenagers proficient in English, according to data from the 2000 census released Tuesday. Tyche Hendricks, Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/06 College Board Readies Plans for AP Audits-- A plan by the College Board to scrutinize high school Advanced Placement courses to ensure that they adhere to college-level standards is getting mixed reviews from educators. Some say the process will add rigor and relevance to their AP programs, while others worry it will just add up to busywork for teachers. ALYSON KLEIN in Education Week --11/29/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/11/29/13college.h26.html Some Ideas May Not Wait for NCLB Renewal-- Even if the Democratic-led Congress doesn’t reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act in the next two years, Democrats will have plenty of chances to push forward with their K-12 priorities. DAVID J. HOFF in Education Week -- 11/29/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/11/29/13congress.h26.html O'Connell searches for the true cost of education -- For years it has been a rhetorical question. But for the first time this spring, Californians may finally get an answer. Exactly how much does it cost to properly educate a child? GRACE RAUH in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/1/06 Audit faults teacher plan -- Five years ago, California lawmakers pushed through an ambitious program to improve mathematics and reading instruction by training teachers to introduce more rigorous academic content and inspire improved student performance. But a state audit released Thursday, based on a survey of 100 school districts, estimates that only 7,230 of the state's 252,000 public school math and reading instructors have completed the voluntary 120-hour training program. PETER HECHT in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/1/06 Poll finds support for posting public schools' data on the Web -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who says parents should be able to scrutinize schools on the Internet like they are "shopping for a car," received a political boost Thursday with a new poll showing widespread support for opening the financial books at public schools. ROBERT SALLADAY in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/1/06 Cases retread Brown vs. Board of Education steps -- The Supreme Court takes up two school integration disputes that could have far-reaching effects. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/4/06 November 20thDigital divide not yet conquered -- A little more than 10 years ago, while on the campaign trail, then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore swooped down on Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord for a technological "barn-raising." Andrew Becker in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/14/06 Charter school at crossroads. Grant may hinge on School Board vote on South Bay Prep -- For nearly two years, a group of parents met in the Campbell Library to hash out their vision for a college-prep campus serving grades six through 12 that features Advanced Placement courses, hands-on projects and personal learning plans for every student. Though South Bay Prep is far from having a physical campus, advocates hope to locate their school in the Campbell Union High School District. DANA HALL in the San José Mercury. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/16016497.htm. Delayed vote puts charter school plan in a crunch -- Santa Clara County school board members decided Wednesday to postpone a decision on a charter school petition until December because only four of the seven board members were present to vote. In the San José Mercury. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/16025842.htm Democratic Majority to Put Education Policy on Agenda -- College Affordability Tops List; Key Members Back NCLB Renewal. The leaders of the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress say they will make college affordability their top education policy priority, while also working to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, a goal they share with President Bush. DAVID J. HOFF in Education Week http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/11/15/12congress.h26.html. Two-year colleges failing mission / Study finds too few students transfer up or attain degrees -- California's large community college system is failing in its role of graduating two-year students and as a feeder system for the state's four-year colleges and universities, according to a study by the Public Policy Institute. And that, the San Francisco think tank concluded, could add to a workforce crisis in the future. Tanya Schevitz in the San Francisco Chronicle Matt Krupnick in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/16/06 Link to the report here Book-lite diet -- CD-ROMs, lighter to carry and durable, are popular alternative to bulky textbooks for students. Walter Yost in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/16/06 Low-income pupils still lag on tests -- Despite a consistent rise in test scores, the achievement gap between poor Californians and their middle-class fellow students might be growing, a University of California-Berkeley report shows. Shirley Dang in the San Jose Mercury Shirley Dang in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/16/06 State Schools Chief Jack O’Connell comments on NAEP Urban District Science Assessment -- The National Assessment of Educational Progress today released the results of the 2005 Trial Urban District Assessment of grades 4 and 8 in Science, which tested students from Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland and Houston. State Superintendent Jack O’Connell today released the following statement on the results: http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel139.asp The report is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/. Schools Slow in Closing Gaps Between Races -- When President Bush signed his sweeping education law a year into his presidency, it set 2014 as the deadline by which schools were to close the test-score gaps between minority and white students that have persisted since standardized testing began. SAM DILLON in the New York Times -- 11/20/06 Getting kids in shape-only one in four pass state’s physical fitness test -- Despite growing alarm about childhood obesity and stepped-up efforts to get California's 6.3 million public school children exercising and eating well, only one in four could stretch, lift, curl and run enough to pass the state's annual physical fitness test. DANA HALL in the San José Mercury. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/16045584.htm November 6th & 13thNICHD study of early child care and youth development -- This newly published 62-page booklet describes the findings among children up to age 4½ from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). Started in 1991, the study has collected information about non-maternal child care arrangements, the children and families who use them, those who do not and child outcomes. Among the findings: family characteristics have more influence on child development than does experience in child care. One of their major findings: Children who were cared for exclusively by their mothers did not develop differently than those who were also cared for by others. To read the booklet, visit http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/seccyd_051206.pdf. The school readiness gap -- An examination by Michael Sadowski on why prekindergarten, not just preschool, may be the key to narrowing disparities in achievement by race, ethnicity, and income. This document can be found in the most recent issue of the Harvard Education Letter, as well as http://www.fcd-us.org/PDFs/08-09-06sadowskireprint0706.pdf. Facilities spending criticized as uneven -- States and school districts spent almost $600 billion on building and renovating schools from 1995 to 2004, an amount that far exceeds earlier expectations, concludes a report released last week. Article in Education Week at Facilities Spending Criticized as Uneven Teacher incentive fund applications rejected -- The U.S. Department of Education will award this year less than half the money appropriated to pay bonuses to principals and teachers whose students perform better on tests and meet tough academic goals. Article in Education Week at Many Teacher Incentive Fund Applications Rejected Supreme Court to hear IDEA lawsuit case -- The U.S. Supreme Court Friday agreed to decide whether parents who are not lawyers have a right to represent their child with disabilities, or themselves, in federal court under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Article in Education Week at Supreme Court to Decide Whether Nonlawyer Parents May Sue Under IDEA Most-educated cities in the United States -- Education levels bode well for a city's economic success. More than half of America's 20 most-educated cities also rank at the top of the list of the country's most prosperous cities. According to a Census Bureau study, Seattle tops the list of America's most educated cities, with more than half its population 25 years and older holding at least a bachelor's degree. San José #15 in BA’s, #1 in income. Article at http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/elearning/?article=educatedcities 819 more from Class of '06 pass California exit exam -- When more than 40,000 seniors from the Class of 2006 failed to pass the California High School Exit Exam before graduation in June, many schools offered prep classes and extra help. Grace Rauh in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/2/06 CAHSEE Report out -- Report Indicates Decline in High School Dropouts Since Inception of Exam. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today commented on the seventh annual independent evaluation of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). The evaluation for the school year 2005-06 was conducted by the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) and is the first independent evaluation released since the CAHSEE became a graduation requirement, starting with the Class of 2006. CDE Press Release at http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel131.asp Senior dropout rate rises slightly after exit exam's premiere -- California's high school exit exam has not led to the mass student exodus from school that critics predicted, but a new analysis shows that the senior dropout rate rose last year for the first time since 1999. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle Luis Zaragoza in the San Jose Mercury Luis Zaragoza in the Oakland Tribune -- 11/4/06 DVD players join supplies draining pay of teachers-districts step up to help in costly electronic age -- Teachers learn two things early on in their careers: Out-of-pocket spending comes with the job. Don't expect reimbursement. But as the mushrooming cost of basics such as books and paper join newer expenses related to computers and other electronics, school officials and local education foundations are stepping up efforts to help teachers cope. LUIS ZARAGOZA in the Mercury News – 11/8/06. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15959034.htm Cheers for an author-Perlman’s book-reading defies Wormwood image -- The kids knew her as Mrs. Wormwood, the mean mother from the movie ``Matilda.'' Their parents and teachers called her Carla. Rhea Perlman, once the cocktail waitress who kept drinks and insults flowing on ``Cheers,'' stopped by San Jose's Graystone Elementary School on Thursday. But she wasn't schlepping beers. Perlman was promoting books. KIMRA McPHERSON in the Mercury News --11/10/06. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15977646.htm Tutoring plan tough to grade -- Few students use the federally funded program, and its benefit is unmeasured for those who do. ERICA PEREZ in the Orange County Register -- 11/12/06 Challenging students, not lowering standards -- After only four months on the job, the new superintendent of the Franklin-McKinley School District is ready to ratchet up expectations for its 10,000 students in South San Jose. Within the next few weeks, John Porter will hand-deliver a petition to state Superintendent of Instruction Jack O'Connell asking for authority to give the math portion of the high school exit exam to Franklin-McKinley eighth-graders who volunteer to take it. EDITORIAL in the Mercury News – 11/13/06. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/16000157.htm October 30thFederal rules back single-gender public education -- The Bush administration is giving public school districts broad new latitude to expand the number of single-gender classes, and even schools, in what is widely considered the most significant policy change on the issue since a landmark federal law barring gender discrimination in education more than 30 years ago. DIANA JEAN SCHEMO in the New York Times -- 10/25/06 California's single-gender experiment short lived -- California had a brief love affair with single-gender public education beginning in 1997, two years after Gov. Pete Wilson proposed such schools as a way of increasing parents' options. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/25/06 Education eyed in 36 battles for governor -- Candidates running on pre-K, performance pay, vouchers. Votes cast in next month’s 36 gubernatorial elections will help shape future K-12 policies, from how schools are financed to how teachers are paid. Michele McNeil in Education Week – 10/25/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/10/25/09govs.h26.html Parcel tax proposed for schools' woes -- California's per-pupil spending is among the lowest in the nation. Its pupil-teacher ratio is 30 percent higher than the national average. And facilities spending isn't keeping pace with the rest of the nation. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/26/06 '06 seniors keep passing exit exam -- Eighteen-year-old Jeffrey Ramirez of Santa Monica finally received his high school diploma Thursday after passing California's exit exam this summer. It was his seventh try. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/27/06 Next leader of L.A. school district vows to remove 'bad teachers' -- Brewer expects to be 'vilified' for doing so. He also wants to trim the district bureaucracy and revamp middle schools. Joel Rubin and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/27/06 UC would admit 'broader swath' of students under proposal -- A panel of influential educational scholars recommends an overhaul of the 40-year-old University of California eligibility process, urging a shift away from the current focus on grades and SAT scores to a broader review of students' personal achievements, such as initiative and leadership ability. Lisa M. Krieger in the San José Mercury – 10/28/06 Students put to the test -- Random drug screening at Orange County schools spurs debate over privacy rights and deterrent effect. JENIFER B. McKIM in the Orange County Register -- 10/29/06 October 23rdGovernor's Not Losing Over Education -- Angelides has backing of state teachers union, but voters aren't ready to dump Schwarzenegger over schools, which got record funding this year. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/17/06 Teens' Dancing Is Freaking Out the Adults -- Some educators, disgusted by what they see as 'simulated sex,' are banning it at school functions. Others say to relax -- it's just this generation's 'flirtation.' Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/17/06 Schools chief Jack O’Connell comments on education bills vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today commented on the Governor’s veto of two bills designed to improve student achievement and close the achievement gap. "If California’s economy is to remain one of the largest in the world, we need to help prepare all students in our schools today with skills that will help them be successful in an ever more competitive global marketplace. With the Governor’s vetoes of these two measures, we are missing important opportunities to improve instruction and target the achievement gap that persists in California schools http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel124.asp -- 10/16/06 Group offers policy ideas on changes for education -- State education officials on Monday heard about 30 teachers, parents and administrators from around the state suggest changes they would like to see in federal education policy scheduled for review next year. LUIS ZARAGOZA in the San José Mercury –10/17/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15778136.htm Law will ensure schools get funding-some districts need equipment, repairs -- A new law, following up on a landmark case, should enable the state to more quickly deliver money to low-achieving school districts in need of everything from new wiring to drinking fountains. Efforts by groups like Californians for Justice in East San Jose are adding extra pressure to ensure the money goes where it's needed. EDITORIAL in the San José Mercury – 10/17/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/15778095.htm Effective preschool curricula and teaching strategies -- A new report released by the National Center for Children in Poverty identifies approaches to help young children succeed in the early school years. The report features lessons from research and practice about curricular and teacher support strategies that are key to reducing the achievement gap for young, low-income children. To download the report, visit http://nccp.org/pub_pes06b.html. Finding High-Quality Pre-K: Pre-K Now and the National PTA have developed a quality checklist designed to help parents evaluate their pre-K options. This resource is based on components that research says are the most important for the healthy growth and development of preschool-age children. Refer to http://www.preknow.org/documents/Pre-k_checklist.pdf Big Business Going To Bat for NCLB -- Large companies and major business groups are known for hiring well-heeled lobbyists to push for their interests, especially in such areas as tax and spending laws. But their federal lobbying presence on education issues has been relatively modest. Until now. Article in Education Week – 10/18/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/10/18/08biz.h26.html As States Feel Pressed to Revisit Standards, Calls Are Being Renewed to Tighten Them -- Two prominent national organizations have declared in the past month that “less is more” in state standards for what students should know and be able to do. Article in Education Week – 10/18/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/10/16/08focus.h26.html Teacher Satisfaction at 20-Year High, MetLife Survey Finds -- Teachers’ satisfaction with their careers has increased significantly over the past two decades, according to an annual survey released today by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and the Committee for Economic Development. Article in Education Week – 10/18/06 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/10/18/08metlife.h26.html Does School Choice Work? Effects on Student Integration and Achievement -- Public school choice programs in San Diego—the nation’s eighth-largest school district—are extremely popular, especially among non-white communities; many San Diego families who apply for these programs are turned away each year. A new report finds that these programs, which give students options to attend schools other than the one in their local neighborhood, can clearly help diversify and integrate schools along racial-ethnic and socioeconomic lines. But evidence that choice programs also boost academic achievement is less clear. Report from Public Policy Institute of California. http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=460 Bay Area teachers get cash awards -- Bay Area school districts are getting ready to distribute their portion of nearly $5.4 million of state money to certain teachers who have earned a so-called incentive award, the state's chief of schools announced Tuesday. Includes Santa Clara County list In the San José Mercury – 10/19/06 .http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15797556.htm School drop-offs: A danger zone -- It happened in a Gilroy intersection, to a 5-year-old boy, as he walked to school. But the tragic accident Tuesday that claimed the life of first-grader Julio Gonzalez could have been in any Bay Area city, near any school -- and that has many parents and school officials worried. Julie Sevrens Lyons and Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury -- 10/19/06 College attendance climbing in Bay Area, study finds but education gaps causing drop in other parts of state -- The percentage of Bay Area youths who are qualified to attend college has climbed over the past two years. So have the proportions of Bay Area teens who enroll in college, and then go on to graduate. Lisa M. Krieger in the San José Mercury – 10/20/06. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15805221.htm
Left behind? Feds label winning school a loser -- Wangenheim Middle School in Mira Mesa is a success, according to California standards. Boasting a score of 816 on the Academic Performance Index, it exceeds the state target of 800, and is one of the top-performing middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District. Helen Gao in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 10/21/06 One for the books -- tutoring gets outsourced -- Fifth-grader Kevin Chen studies math in his living room in Alameda every week with his tutor, Syeda Nikath Sumaiya -- who works from her home in Seoul. In the latest incarnation of outsourcing, overseas tutors are teaching U.S. students math, science, English and social studies. And parents are paying half as much as they would for face-to-face instruction. Vanessa Hua in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/22/06 Report criticizes training -- Josh Chancer remembers well his first days as a new teacher, facing a classroom of rambunctious middle school students, wishing that he'd gotten a little more training in how to manage them while he was in school himself. "They don't address the practical matters as much as they should: classroom management, how to deal with time in the classroom efficiently, the day-to-day responsibilities," said Chancer, now a history teacher at Pacifica High School in Oxnard. "All that was really hard." Jean Cowden Moore in the Ventura Star -- 10/23/06 State ranked 47th smartest -- The future looks grim for the state and even grimmer for the Inland Empire in education and the economy, according to a Cal State Sacramento study. Called "State of Decline," the study by the university's Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy found the Inland Empire is least likely in California to prepare students for college. Charlotte Hsu in the Inland Daily Bulletin-- 10/23/06 October 16thOld math is getting new life -- There are prodigies -- children who have an inexplicable, innate ability to perform virtuoso mental, artistic or physical feats -- but for the vast majority of human beings, acquiring skills is a more laborious process. Simply put, we must crawl before we can walk, walk before we can run, and run before we can aspire to higher levels. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/10/06 SCCOE to host Ed Expo -- Education EXPO 2006: Discover resources that support standards-aligned instruction in the classroom. Learn more about research-based practices utilized across the content areas. Network with educators and community partners committed to student learning. Nov 08, 2006 at Santa_Clara_County_Office_of_Education 'Orphan' Initiatives Left to Fail -- Bankrollers stopped giving to Prop. 88 because of inadequate support. Abandoned measures are crippled. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/11/06 No school improvement models get top rating from AIR -- Only 10 of the 18 most widely used school improvement programs for middle and high schools have “moderate” or “limited” evidence to show they work, and none deserves a top rating, a review by a Washington think tank concludes. In Education_Week 10/11/06 School shootings in policy spotlight -- The three school shootings that left a principal and six students dead in less than a week have sparked a barrage of pledges from national and state political leaders to tighten campus security. But school safety experts urged caution against overreacting to the horrific, but rare, incidents in rural schools in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Includes a longitudinal table examining the causes of school-related violent deaths. In Education_Week 10/11/06 Schwarzenegger to push his 'good ideas' / But governor won't revisit union dues, education funding -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed Wednesday to pursue some of the "good ideas" rejected by voters in last year's special election but promised that he will not revive controversial efforts to control union dues or change the state's voter-approved education funding formula. Carla Marinucci, Mark Martin in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/12/06 Appeal planned on in-state tuition for illegal immigrants -- A Yolo County judge's ruling upholding a California law that allows public colleges and universities to extend resident fees to illegal immigrants will be appealed, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said Wednesday. Aurelio Rojas in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/12/06 Schools face steeper climb: Proficiency in Math, English skills required of all students by 2014 -- Cupertino school district officials were ecstatic last month when they learned their district had come off the federal ``delinquent'' list. The same thing happened in Redwood City, Campbell, Sunnyvale and elsewhere, as 26 school districts around the state celebrated emerging from the federal roster of those needing improvement. But the celebration will be short-lived. Educators predict that no California school -- even high-performing ones like Cupertino's -- will meet standards in 2014, the target date set by the federal ``No Child Left Behind Act.''-- Sharon Noguchi in the San_Jose_Mercury – 10/12/06 'Does Dumbledore really exist?' Popular book’s magic helps participants learn -- David Lovato stands next to a model of Hogwarts Castle at Empire Gardens Elementary, where every day after school he turns the campus into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. David Lovato doesn't look anything like Albus Dumbledore, but his magic works just as well. Each weekday after the final bell rings at Empire Gardens Elementary, the strapping, 27-year-old recreation director turns the academically struggling campus into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.``All I can say is, I know what kids like to do after school,'' Lovato said the other day at the school in San Jose's old Northside neighborhood. Joe Rodriguez in the San_Jose_Mercury Ex-Admiral Is Named New Schools Chief -- The Los Angeles Board of Education unanimously selected retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III to be the next superintendent Thursday amid a battle for control of the school system between the board and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Joel Rubin and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/13/06 Students read, tide turns -- Teacher Caryn Carlson remembers that sinking feeling in 2003 when her school, George Miner Elementary, was placed on a federal watch list because its Latino students weren't making enough yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Becky Bartindale in the San Jose Mercury -- 10/14/06 Breathing Life Into Voc Ed -- A few grisly photos of emergency room trauma victims convinced Andrew Lopez he didn't want to suture wounds or set broken bones after graduation. But they didn't deter him from pursuing a career in health care. Lopez was introduced to hospital management through Davis High School's four-year Health Careers Academy. MERRILL BALASSONE in the Modesto Bee -- 10/15/06 Wanted: Schools Chief With Zero Experience -- Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. John Fryer uses an earthy metaphor to explain why the Los Angeles Unified School District hired a military man as its next superintendent: Walk around in a cow pasture long enough, he says, and you lose the ability to smell it. Translation: Career educators can become oblivious to the flaws in their schools. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/15/06 2-Minute `Debate' on Schools Fails Voters, Children -- Every survey of California voters shows that they rank education as one of the most important problems facing the state. It's constantly No. 1 or No. 2. The latest Times poll finds it No. 2 behind illegal immigration. Democrats place it No. 1. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/16/06 October 9thEnglish-learner curriculum vetoed -- As he promised, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a state Senate bill to create a special curriculum for public school students who are learning to speak English. Senate Bill 1769, by Sen. Martha Escutia, would have required the state Board of Education to develop special textbooks and other materials for students who are non-native speakers. Dorothy Korber in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/3/06 How does a garden grow? State will count the ways -- Money may not grow on trees, but a bumper crop of paperwork will soon be flourishing in California's newly expanded school garden program. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week signed a bill that will set aside $15 million for grants to schools that want to establish gardens for their students to tend. Daniel Weintraub in the SacramentoBee -- 10/3/06 Appeal on school's lesson in Muslim culture is rejected -- The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday by evangelical Christian students and their parents who said a Contra Costa County school district engaged in unconstitutional religious indoctrination when it taught students about Islam by having them recite language from prayers. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/3/06 L.A. slated to get U.S. funds for charters -- A $3.9 million federal grant awarded Monday to the California Charter Schools Association will pay to open 52 charter campuses statewide, about half of them in Los Angeles, officials said. NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/3/06 Bush calls for summit to address school violence -- RENO, Nev. (AP) -- The Bush administration will host a conference next week to discuss the recent rash of school violence across the country, the White House said yesterday. Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino said the conference will bring together education and law-enforcement officials to talk about the nature of the problem and federal action that can help communities prevent violence and deal with its aftermath. AP Report in the Washington Times -- October 3, 2006 http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20061002-113511-9060r.htm Measure extends disabled student exit exam waiver -- High school seniors with documented disabilities will be allowed to graduate this year even if they do not pass the California High School Exit Exam. The item is in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/4/06 Education bond for bricks, mortar, funds would go to charter schools, K-12 -- California will sell $10.4 billion in bonds to repair and construct new K-12 schools and remodel college campuses if voters approve Proposition 1D on Nov. 7. Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury-News. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/elections/15674688.htm Schools chief Jack O’Connell criticizes Governor’s vetoes of bills to improve school meal nutrition and communication between schools and parents -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell issued the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto of SB 1510, by Senator Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), which would have improved communication between schools and parents by reducing redundancy and clarifying information that is provided to parents in the annual School Accountability Report Card (SARC). http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel121.asp State schools chief Jack O’Connell announces a new century-vision for middle grades education -- In recognition of October as the Month of the Young Adolescent, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today released 12 recommendations to launch a new-century vision for middle grades education in California. The recommendations, collaboratively forged by the California Middle Grades Alliance,* will be the foundation for Taking Center Stage—Act II: Closing the Achievement Gap for California’s Middle Grades Students, scheduled for release in early 2008. Education Extra: Put to the test -- Run-down buildings, low test scores often mask strides being made at some schools. Deepa Ranganathan in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/5/06 School bonds face battle -- In front of a dilapidated science building, its windows defaced with youthful professions of love, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this week promised new laboratories and classrooms for the state's 141 higher education campuses, courtesy of Proposition 1D. Shirley Dang in the Contra Costa Times -- 10/6/06 A boost for better teacher training -- Stanford matches grad’s generosity. One of the best teacher-training programs in America will soon become one of the most generous. Editorial in the San Jose Mercury-News – 10/5/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/15683856.htm A pledge to fix education program -- President Bush said Thursday that renewing the No Child Left Behind law would be a priority for him next year but acknowledged the law isn't working as well for parents as it should. Nedra Picker in the San Jose Mercury-News -- 10/6/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15693564.htm. Classes bursting at the seams -- Jay Gussin is an idealistic, passionate teacher who, for more than two decades, has believed his is a noble profession and that educators can shape students' lives. Until this year. With nearly 40 students crowded into each of his science classes at Robert Frost Middle School in Granada Hills, Gussin fears he can do no better than perform "educational triage" - focusing only on the students with the best chance of success. NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/9/06 Districts pursue compliance -- Most Inland school districts are succeeding in making sure their teachers are "highly qualified" as mandated by law, but some are still working to hit the mark. President Bush's four-year-old No Child Left Behind Act stated that all teachers be "highly qualified" in any core subject they teach by July 2006. CADONNA PEYTON and SHIRIN PARSAVAND in the Riverside Press -- 10/9/06 October 2ndRep. Miller seeks education inquiry -- Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, called for a criminal investigation after an audit found that a $1 billion federal program to improve reading among grade-school children was run by staff who steered contracts to favored publishers. The item is in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/26/06 Ski Week Controversy Snowballs -- The calendar says summer ended Friday, but millions of schoolchildren and their families know it really ended in mid-August, when they headed back to school. While parents lobby school officials to reclaim longer summer breaks -- or at least all of August -- their pleas will most likely fall on deaf ears. Blame the national emphasis on standardized testing and the deference that districts give to Advanced Placement testing for the college-bound. Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury-News – 9/24/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15598012.htm. The price of perfection: Teenage overachievers failing at happiness -- Beneath the veneer of affluent suburban perfection lies a sad truth. The world may be their oyster, but 22 percent of those Juicy Couture-clad adolescent girls are clinically depressed -- three times the national level -- and the boys don't fare any better. Jackie Burrell in the Contra Costa Times -- 9/27/06 Sorry, Cupcake, You're Not Welcome in Class -- As schools across the nation target student obesity, traditional treats are under attack. Some educators say they've come up with alternatives for celebrations: carrots, reading and special seat cover (Santa Clara Unified cited). Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/27/06 The Insiders: How Principals and Superintendents See Public Education Today -- It's probably natural for leaders of organizations to be upbeat about their institutions. Even so, the positive, almost buoyant outlook of school leaders nationwide captured in this fourth installment of Reality Check 2006 may come as something of a surprise to reformers and critics, including regulators enforcing No Child Left Behind. To view the report from Public Agenda: http://www.publicagenda.org/specials/realitycheck06/realitycheck06_main.htm S.J. Unified Leader Likens Job to Surfing -- A jam-packed day stretches before San Jose Unified Superintendent Don Iglesias. There's his weekly powwow with top managers, a meeting with his predecessor, discussions about administrative evaluations, and an evening event: Santa Clara County's Teacher of the Year awards. Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury News – 9/30/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15647082.htm Prop. 88 lacks educators' support --Statewide $50 Parcel Tax would boost school funding. Influential education groups that regularly join forces to lobby for school funding have turned their backs on Proposition 88, a statewide parcel tax that goes before voters on Nov. 7. Dana Hull in the Mercury News – 9/30/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/elections/15654114.htm Study: Weekday TV viewing harms class performance -- VIDEO GAMING EFFECT SIMILAR. CHICAGO - Parents now have science to back them up when they say, ``Turn off the TV. It's a school night.'' Middle school students who watch TV or play video games during the week do worse in school, a new study finds, but weekend viewing and gaming does not affect school performance much. Carla K. Johnson in the San Jose Mercury-News – 10/2/06 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15658917.htm Education Bills Sponsored by Schools Chief Jack O’Connell Are Signed Into Law -- SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced that bills he sponsored to continue high-quality teacher professional development programs and to improve programs offered by Regional Occupational Centers have been signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel117.asp. September 25thGovernor open to education takeovers -- With Los Angeles schools undergoing a major reorganization, a confident Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that he is open to giving similar power to mayors of other cities in the future. RICK ORLOV in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 9/19/06 Governor Signs L.A. Mayor's Dream Into Law -- In a bill-signing ceremony at the Central Library, Villaraigosa fulfills a hard-fought goal: gaining clout over the city's public schools. Duke Helfand and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times Laura Mecoy in the Sacramento Bee NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 9/19/06 Outside attorney will look at school district's turmoil -- The Fremont Union High School District has retained Fresno attorney Barry Bennett to investigate a series of events that ultimately led to last month's ouster of Superintendent Stephen Rowley. Dana Hull in the Mercury News http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15554209.htm. Gates Foundation Gives L.A. Charter School Group $1.8 Million -- The money will support five campuses run by Green Dot near Jefferson High. The award surpasses the group's gift to L.A. Unified. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/20/06 Gangster-turned-grad student thanks teachers for life change -- Dorly Goodman looked at the kid with the shaved head and tattooed arms and saw potential. BRENT HOPKINS in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 9/20/06 Study Survival Skills for Middle School and Beyond -- Your child has a better chance of succeeding in college if she masters school survival skills now. Here's how you can help her get organized and learn to study effectively. Linda Strean, at Great Schools http://mercurynews.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/CA/700 Academic standards bill vetoed -- Governor refuses to lower criteria for complying with No Child Left Behind law. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/21/06 Optimism, but little headway so far on college readiness effort -- California's ambitious effort to better prepare high school students for college hasn't budged test scores yet, but educators say they believe it will eventually cut the percentage of freshmen who arrive at the state's public universities needing remedial classes. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15571314.htm After 4-Year Delay, State Funds for After-School Programs Set to Be Delivered -- Four years after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the arena of California politics by persuading voters to support an initiative that expands after-school programs, schools will finally receive the funds to launch those programs. The item is in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/22/06 Collaborative Effort Builds Success, Latino Education Conference in Santa Ana Is Told -- For Latino students to succeed in school and advance to college, teachers, parents and community leaders must work together to encourage students, including reading to toddlers and offering rigorous classes in high schools, policymakers said Thursday at a conference on education in Santa Ana. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/22/06 Luther Burbank Students Look Back Fondly, Celebrate with the District-100 years of school memories --It was homecoming day Saturday as hundreds of students, parents, staff and alumni returned to celebrate the 100th birthday of Luther Burbank School District. By Becky Bartindale in the Mercury News http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15598002.htm Mayor touts education achievements Gonzales Points to Changes He Has Promoted at S.J. High Schools --In an effort to burnish his legacy before leaving office, embattled San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales spent Saturday at City Hall touting his accomplishments on education. James Hohmann in the Mercury News State Superintendent Backs Education Bill -- State schools chief Jack O'Connell swept through the Inland Empire on Friday, urging the governor to sign a bill that would provide nearly $3 billion for the state's worst-performing schools, and honoring a Moreno Valley elementary school recently named among the nation's best. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/23/06 Schools fight cheaters who use tech tools -- The Advanced Placement government assignment over the summer was to read and analyze political commentator Chris Matthews' book ``Hardball.'' So four friends at American High School in Fremont did what they say everyone else was doing: divvied up the 13 questions about the book and exchanged answers via e-mail. They each altered the text slightly, then handed in their individual papers. The students call it collaboration. The teachers call it cheating. Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury -- 9/23/06 Tutors Prepare Them -- for Preschool and Kindergarten -- Facing an emphasis on testing and the desire to get their children into good schools, parents are turning to private sessions for kids as young as 3. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/24/06 Bill to let schools land good teachers -- It can take years to fire a bad teacher. So some principals don't even bother trying. Instead, they make a deal. The principal asks the teacher to look for a job elsewhere in the district. In exchange, the teacher gets a good evaluation. Deepa Ranganathan in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/25/06 September 18thTeachers grapple with teaching 9/11 -- Rather than tread over the familiar terrain of the American Revolution, Smith began the school year with a documentary on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He uses 9/11 as a lens through which to look at American history. The immediacy of the event allows him to breathe life into other turning points in American history, such as the decisions to bomb Japan or temporarily suspend civil rights. Shirley Dang in the Contra Costa Times -- 9/12/06 High school exit exam finds way back in court -- The first graduating class required to pass the California High School Exit Exam has been out of school for months, but an attorney argued Tuesday in a state appeals court that would-be graduates who did not pass the test still should be given diplomas. Grace Rauh in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/13/06 Education tax plan in setback -- The principal financial backer of a statewide parcel tax initiative has apparently stopped funding the drive, leaving supporters without the kind of cash, staff and ads typically needed for a full-fledged campaign. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/14/06 Black, Latino students close gap on state test -- Black and Latino students in the class of 2006 passed a crucial state math test at nearly the same rate as their white and Asian classmates, breaking a long-established pattern of lagging scores, San Diego County educators announced yesterday. Chris Moran in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/14/06 Be Prepared for Major Flu Outbreak, State Official Tells Schools -- O'Connell unveiled a new checklist advising schools how to plan for a pandemic. Tips include supplying each room with soap, water and paper towels or hand sanitizer and establishing a backup chain of command in case employees fall ill. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/14/06 Whooping cough warning -- Doctors are recommending that just about everyone in the United States between the ages of 11 and 64 -- especially people who regularly interact with newborns -- get booster shots of the whooping cough vaccine to help battle recent increases of a disease that once was thought to have mostly disappeared. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/15/06 The battle over charter schools -- After 14 years, controversial movement still sparks arguments over resources, students, results. Kristofer Noceda, Michelle Maitre, T.S. Mills-Faraudo, Katy Murphy, Grace Rauh and Linh Tat in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/06 Redesigned state Web site readies students for college -- Students who need help planning for college can check out the newly redesigned Web site www.californiacolleges.edu. The site provides easy access to 215 public and private colleges in California along with links to free financial aid forms and online applications. Carrie Sturrock in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/06 Federal Effort to Boost Latino Educational Success Aims at Santa Ana -- The city plays host to a conference this week at which speakers will address family involvement and achievement gaps. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/18/06 Law firm targeting schools on vital data-State-required reports are not always at hand, firm’s survey says --Behind the front counter of every public school in California is what amounts to a campus user's manual -- a printed summary of class sizes, teacher qualifications and loads of test scores. At least there's supposed to be. Out-of-date and incomplete School Accountability Report Cards, or SARCs, are a problem throughout the state, according to a public-interest law firm that has been on SARC patrol for the past two years. Luis Zaragoza Mercury News http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/15547102.htm September 11thJudge dismisses Hindus' claim of bias in a 6th-grade textbook -- A double-edged ruling by a Sacramento judge has rejected claims that California's 6th-grade textbooks contain anti-Hindu bias and should be recalled, but he found the approval process for all state textbooks "invalid." Charles Burress in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/6/06 Developers line up behind school bond -- If California voters reject the $10.4 billion education bond on the November ballot, the state's builders and developers will be on the hook for the full cost of every new school built in the state, starting at the end of 2007. The specter of having to cough up thousands of additional dollars in fees per home has California's builders and developers dumping millions of dollars into the education bond campaign. Shane Goldmacher in Capitol Weekly -- 9/7/06 Student aid bill at final hurdle -- A controversial bill that would allow illegal immigrants to get state financial aid while attending California's public colleges and universities is now in the hands of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has until the end of this month to sign or veto. The bill's author, state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, called on the governor Wednesday to ``invest in California's future'' by signing SB 160, also called the California DREAM Act, into law. Opponents say the state should not give money to lawbreakers. Jessie Mangaliman in the San Jose Mercury -- 9/7/06 U.S. Lags in Race to Educate Its Young Population; Nation's Affordable College Opportunities Deteriorating Governor Signs Preschool Funding Bill -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday signed legislation that provides $50 million to expand preschool opportunities for thousands of low-income children. The money will target preschools operated by school districts and nonprofit organizations in neighborhoods where students score in the lowest three deciles of the Academic Performance Index. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle Clea Benson in the Sacramento Bee STEVE GEISSINGER in the Los Angeles Daily News ERICA PEREZ in the Orange County Register -- 9/8/06 How Much Does Quality Preschool Cost?: A new 19 page report addresses new research demonstrating that quality preschool programs are a good economic investment. However, there is less information available that examines how much funding is necessary for programs to be successful. This working paper looks at current state spending on preschool, identifies aspects of programs that are related to cost, and provides estimates of the funding needed to achieve desired levels of access and quality. Visit http://nieer.org/resources/research/CostOfEffectivePreschool.pdf for a full pdf version of the report. September 5thPortal to academic success -- More Latino high school students are enrolling and doing well in Advanced Placement classes, a trend education officials trace to their participation in AP Spanish language and literature courses. California education officials call AP Spanish Language an important gateway to success in other honors classes -- a way for struggling students to sharpen Spanish skills and gain confidence to try advanced English, math and science courses later. James Hohmann in the San Jose Mercury -- 8/29/06 For undocumented students, measure offers a way to pay -- It's Friday night, party time for many college students. But inside a cramped conference room, Minerva Gomez has a serious agenda to plow through. Analyses of proposed immigration changes, government affairs, outreach, fundraising -- she's considering issues of profound importance to Gomez and other students who are illegal immigrants. Aurelio Rojas in the Sacramento Bee -- 8/29/06 Maybe, despite all, our English learners are learning -- Given the great gush of numbers that the dipsticks of our school testing and accountability systems are spewing out -- STAR, API, AYP, CAHSEE, CELDT, APR, NAEP -- there's bound to be confusion and misreadings. But sometimes the misreadings are egregious enough they require correction. Peter Schrag in the Sacramento Bee -- 8/30/06 Teachers often spend their own money if they want extra materials and tools for their classrooms -- Although school just started Tuesday, Lewis said she has already spent $400 out of her own pocket. This is Lewis' first year as a history teacher. Marjorie Hernandez in the Ventura Star -- 8/30/06 SAT scores decline in nation and state -- rise in S.F., San Jose--The SAT I college entrance exam saw its largest score decline in three decades this year in California and across the country, but scores went up in two of the Bay Area's largest school districts -- San Francisco and San Jose -- according to numbers released Tuesday. TANYA SCHEVITZ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/30/BAGVCKRO8L1.DTL. --8/30/06 Will bill to cut class sizes help? The jury's still out, experts say -- Carlos Rico teaches 33 students in his sixth-grade class at Oak Ridge Elementary. Test scores at the campus -- in a crime-ridden Sacramento neighborhood -- put it among the lowest-performing schools in the state. Rico says it's tough to teach a class of that size, especially because so many of his students come to school suffering the effects of poverty: violence, hunger, unstable housing. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee -- 8/31/06 California Standards Tops in Nation -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today commented on the findings of a new national report that ranks California as the one of the top three states in the nation for the quality of academic standards. The Fordham Foundation conducted a comprehensive review of all states' academic standards and gave California an "A" for its English, mathematics, science, U.S. history, and world history science standards. For more information on the Fordham report, please see: http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/StateofStateStandards2006.pdf Bill Pledging $3 Billion to Boost Low-Performing Schools Goes to Schwarzenegger -- A plan to spend nearly $3 billion over the next seven years to reduce class sizes, improve teacher training and add counselors at California's lowest-performing schools was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for approval Thursday, marking the end of a bitter dispute between the governor and the state's largest teachers union. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06 Far Fewer California Schools Meet Targets in State Testing -- Just over half of California's schools met their state testing improvement targets — far fewer than last year — a disappointing result that was fueled by schools' inability to keep pace with rising expectations. This leveling off was especially worrisome in the data for poor students and African Americans. Howard Blume and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News Luis Zaragoza and Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury Momo Chang and Grace Rauh in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/1/06 Local Schools Continue to Improve API and AYP Scores, Meet Growth Targets and Outperform California Peers -- Four of Top Ten API Schools in Santa Clara County Santa Clara County schools did better than last year – and better than schools in California overall -- on both state and federal measures of academic performance included in the 2006 Accountability Progress Report released by the California Department of Education today. http://www.sccoe.org/newsandfacts/newsreleases/2006-07/news090106.asp. I Said, 'Not While You Study!' -- Memo to: Frustrated parents From: Health section staff. Subject: Your kids' study habits There's some impressive new scientific research on your side when you tell your kids they can't possibly do their homework with the TV blaring, instant messenger crawling or MP3 player pumping. Unfortunately, explaining it will require you to get them unplugged from their iPods. Jeffrey Ghassemi in the Washington Post -- 9/5/06 O’Connell warns of Federal budget cuts due to lack of legislative approval of testing bill -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today warned that $25 million in federal education funding for California is at risk because the California State Senate failed to approve a measure that would have brought California into compliance with federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements for testing English learners. http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel99.asp. August 28thExit exam -- Just weeks after California denied diplomas for the first time to tens of thousands of students who failed the state's high school exit exam, educators say more than 54,000 students in the class of 2007 risk the same fate. As troubling as that appears, the state's education chief says it represents a slight improvement over the number of seniors who were in test trouble at this time last year. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News Luis Zaragoza and Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury Grace Rauh in the Oakland Tribune -- 8/23/06 County 10th-graders passed exit exam at 83% rate in both segments, results show--San Jose, CA – Santa Clara County 10-graders who took the California High School Exit Exam last school year passed at an 83 percent rate on both the English/language arts and math sections, according to results released Tuesday by the California Department of Education. http://www.sccoe.org/newsandfacts/newsreleases/2006-07/news082206.asp SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O'CONNELL RELEASES 2005-06 CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAM RESULTSSACRAMENTO/SAN DIEGO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the results of the 2005-06 California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE).Results from the exam, which was administered to last year’s sophomores, juniors, and seniors, show steady improvement in the number of students in the classes of 2007 and 2008 who have met the CAHSEE requirement. http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel93.asp Charter-school report offers little to parents Minority parents support exit exam -- Most African American, Asian American and Latino parents support the California High School Exit Exam and believe the main function of the public education system should be to prepare their children for college, according to a study released Wednesday by New America Media, a California-based ethnic media consortium. Jocelyn Wiener in the Sacramento Bee -- 8/24/06 Campus clinic to give free care South Bay children in need of free medical care will soon be able to get it in an unexpected location -- on the campus of a San Jose high school. A health center staffed by a physician and medical assistant -- and equipped with high-tech diagnostic equipment and medical supplies -- is to open at Independence High School on Sept. 18, and a similar center is being explored at Andrew Hill High School http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/health/15348744.htm After Four Years, the Public Judges the No Child Left Behind Act Schools lean on parents to close their budget gaps August 21stScience matters again -- Science is getting short shrift in many California classrooms. Elementary schools have been spending more time on math and reading lessons to prepare students for standardized tests, leaving less time for other subjects. SHIRIN PARSAVAND in the Riverside Press -- 8/15/06 STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O'CONNELL RELEASES 2006 STAR PROGRAM RESULTS SHOWING SIGNIFICANT GAINS ACROSS THE BOARD --Glendale/San Francisco — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released results of the 2006 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program that show California students remain on a steady trajectory of improved student achievement. O'Connell Releases 2006 STAR Program ResultsSanta Clara County Students Continue Trend of Outperforming Peers Statewide--San Jose, CA – Students in Santa Clara County continued their trend of outperforming students statewide on the 2006 California Standards Tests, according to results analyzed by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. http://www.sccoe.org/newsandfacts/newsreleases/2006-07/news081506.asp. State's high school students top national average on ACT exam -- California students scored above the national average on the ACT college entrance exam this year, as the national average increased the most in 20 years, according to scores released Tuesday. Tanya Schevitz in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/16/06 Student tracking system receives a failing grade -- The state has spent $70 million on a high-tech student information system during the last decade, but the goal of analyzing test scores and other data to improve the education system is still years away. California has fallen far behind other large states with sophisticated student tracking systems, such as Texas and Florida, and cannot accurately calculate a basic fact about school performance: the dropout rate. Ed Mendel in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 8/21/06
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