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Trial over California teacher protection laws opens
Attorneys seeking to overturn several of California’s controversial teacher protection laws argued in court Monday that these statutes prevent the removal of “grossly ineffective” teachers from schools — contributing to an inadequate education for students assigned to them. LA Times

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In landmark trial, sides debate whether teacher protection laws fail students
The teacher tenure, seniority and dismissal laws that the nonprofit organization Students Matter wants a judge to overturn are essential to create a “professional, stable workforce” and attract teachers into a profession with low pay and difficult conditions, a state deputy attorney general said Monday at the start of the much-anticipated Vergara v State of California trial. EdSource

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What Obama’s Promise Zones could mean to L.A.
Commentary: President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address Tuesday is certain to focus on issues of inequality and poverty. And what he has to say will have particular resonance in Los Angeles. Building on efforts four years in the making, the president announced this month that the city has been chosen to be one of five designated U.S. Promise Zones. LA Times

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Career Technical Education: lawmakers dither on funding
Commentary: While Career Technical Education is exploding across the United States and grants are being awarded to technical high schools and Regional Career Technical Education Centers, California legislators still cannot make up their minds on how to fund CTE Regional Occupational Programs in California. San Jose Mercury 

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Danger Posed by Student-Data Breaches Prompts Action
Privacy advocates say the increased collection, storage, and sharing of ed data pose real threats to children and families, from identify theft to nuisance advertising, misguided profiling to increased surveillance of everyday activities. EdWeek