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College-Readiness not keeping up in California
Fewer than 4 in 10 California high school students are completing the requirements to be eligible for the state’s public universities, fueling worries of a shortage of college-educated workers when the value of a bachelor’s degree has never been higher.To meet entrance requirements, high school students must complete 15 classes with a grade of C or better, including foreign language, lab science, intermediate algebra, and visual or performing arts. KNBC

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Teacher, student fight caught on camera

A Santa Monica High School teacher and wrestling coach caught on cell phone videos fighting with a student Friday was placed on leave pending an investigation into the incident, the school district superintendent announced.According to a letter sent to parents by Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Sandra Lyon, no one was injured in the classroom confrontation between teacher Mark Black and a student whose name has not been released. KNBC

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Common Core has students writing — on just about every subject
Much to the delight of writing enthusiasts, the curriculum standards known as the Common Core stress the importance of students’ putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) across all subject areas. The standards also specify that students — even those in the youngest grades — should cite evidence from readings as they write, and not just invent stories or opine based on prior knowledge. The Common Core, adopted by most states, does not constitute a federal curriculum or mandate specific readings. Hechinger Report

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Common core or SMARTER Balanced? Maybe it’s neither
As the state steps back to revise its assessment of the school accountability system with the advent of common core and SMARTER Balanced assessments, there is an opportunity for legislators and officials to reconsider policies related to testing students with disabilities. S&I Cabinet Report

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Under new law, school nurses aim to stop rise in vaccination opt-outs
In her 33 years as a school nurse, Robyn Ettl has listened, sometimes quietly, sometimes not, to parents in rural Nevada County explain why their children don’t need vaccinations against contagious and potentially fatal diseases, including polio, diphtheria, measles and pertussis. Now, with nearly a half a million 5-year-olds and soon-to-be-5-year-olds registering for kindergarten in the fall, school nurses like Ettl are more invested than ever in a delicate task: trying to change the minds of parents intent on opting out of school-entrance immunizations. EdSource