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Schools Face Test From Voters
[This] is the largest number of education-tax initiatives to appear on state election ballots in two decades, according to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Wall St. Journal (subscription required; via KPCC)
Fact Check: Obama Supports Smaller Classes in Public Schools
The president has publicly supported the concept of reducing the size of classes in the nation’s public schools. And he pointed out that Romney has not embraced the concept of small classes. LA Times
Near L.A. Live, Parents Press for Downtown Charter School
Residents of South Park have submitted plans for Metro Charter to L.A. Unified. They say a school that their kids can walk to is too important to give up. LA Times
More Than 2 Dozen L.A. Unified Magnet Schools are Under-Enrolled
LAUSD magnet schools have long been considered prized programs, but more than two dozen of them are under-enrolled and actively looking to fill classroom seats. LA Times
Principal Sends Home Students for Dress Code Violations
In an attempt to curb her school’s chronic dress code violations, the principal of Lou Dantzler Preparatory High School in Westchester opted to take a bit more “hardcore” approach Monday. LA Times
Common Core Will Falter if Global Competitiveness is Sole Goal
The urgency behind the Common Core comes from concerns about global competitiveness. The hope is that by having internationally benchmarked standards that are “higher, clearer, fewer” we can energize the economy and avoid being left behind by nations like China and India. Ed Source
Charter to Take Over School in Parent-Trigger Case
Adelanto parents select LaVerne Elementary Preparatory Academy to operate Desert Trails Elementary School, ending months of court battles. LA Times
Why Preschool Can Save the World
We meet a self-described robber baron who decided to spend his billions on finger paint and changing tables. We revisit decades-long studies that found preschool made a huge difference in the lives of poor children. And we talk to a Nobel prize-winning economist who says that spending public money on preschool produces a huge return on investment. Planet Money Podcast
Don’t Demonize Teachers Because of Pension System’s Faults
Yes, public pensions got out of hand. But teachers aren’t the biggest culprits, nor are they why California has some of the nation’s most shamefully underfunded schools. LA Times (opinion)
With New AYP Data Comes Corrective Action and Restructuring Demands
With the California Department of Education’s release of 2012 Adequate Yearly Progress datasome of your schools may have been identified for advanced stages of Program Improvement, Corrective Action and/or Restructuring. Additionally, you may have some schools exiting PI identification. SI&A Cabinet Report