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September 2008       

Sept 2008

CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin presides over an Education Coalition press conference on the steps of the state Capitol last month. Speakers opposed additional cuts to education and called for a balanced approach to the budget crisis.

Web Only Articles

Former state Education Secretary Long to work with CSBA on student achievement issues

30 September 2008 - Long will work on a variety of initiatives and projects, including collaboration with CSBA staff on a comprehensive plan for the association to engage and support its members as they strive to close achievement gaps.

2008 CAHSEE pass rate down as special ed requirement takes effect

12 September 2008 - In 2007, 57.2 percent of special education students earned high school diplomas. When the CAHSEE requirement took effect for special education students this year, the graduation rate for these students dropped to 54.4 percent.

SBE rebuffs critics of Algebra 1 mandate

12 September 2008 - The state Board of Education took no action at its Sept. 11 meeting to rescind its mandate.

Republicans fail to get their spending plan approved

12 September 2008 - Analysis from CSBA's Governmental Relations Department

CSBA and ACSA file lawsuit challenging SBE Algebra 1 mandate

5 September 2008 - CSBA, its Education Legal Alliance and the Association of California School Administrators filed a lawsuit Sept. 4 against the State Board of Education regarding its recent decision to mandate Algebra 1 for all eighth-graders in California.

ELA update: Board member censure upheld

5 September 2008 - A state appellate court has upheld a school board’s authority to censure a board member who breached the board’s rules prohibiting discussion of personnel matters in open session unless the affected employee requests it. The 4th District Court of Appeal agreed with CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance amicus brief position that the board’s censure motion was simply the board’s “speech” protected by the board’s First Amendment rights, according to Alliance Director Richard Hamilton. The censure did not violate the board member’s free speech rights, did not punish the board member and placed no restrictions on his future conduct.

Achievement gap narrows as all groups post gains—but U.S. standards also tighten

5 September 2008 - The academic performance of California’s public schools continues to grow, and the state has gained traction in its efforts to close the gap between student subgroups, but much remains to be done—and sanctions for falling short of federal targets are ramping up, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell said Thursday.

California School NewsGovernance Consulting Services

1 September 2008 - CSBA’s Single District Governance Services unit is now known as Governance Consulting Services, a name that more accurately reflects an evolving emphasis on board-superintendent collaboration to transform governance team leadership for student achievement.

Budget alert

29 August 2008 - Senate narrowly rejects devastating budget proposal but could reconsider it - Earlier today the Senate debated and initially voted down a budget plan that CSBA advocates say would be devastating to public schools because it jeopardizes current and future funding for education and essentially freezes school spending at current—and extremely inadequate—levels. The spending plan, which needed 27 votes, failed, 24 to 15 on a party-line vote. But the vote is on call, and the Senate could reconsider the proposal.

In California School News

CSBA sues over Prop. 39 charter facility regulations

A court hearing is scheduled in early October in Sacramento Superior Court on CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance lawsuit challenging regulations the State Board of Education imposed this year on school districts faced with charter school facilities requests under Proposition 39.

Budget stalemate continues unabated

The state budget impasse continues as this issue of California School News goes to press.

Vantage Point: Education reform: The class of 2021 can’t wait

Paul H. Chatman is president of the California School Boards Association.

Annual Conference to offer drama along with educational and political insights

CSBA’s 2008 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show comes to San Diego Dec. 4–6.

Back-to-School Webcast: Log on and learn Sept. 19

(Editor's note: Due to the state budget stalemate, the Back-to-School Conference Webcast has been rescheduled for Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon.)

Collective Bargaining Summits coming

Sessions will be in Sacramento, Visalia and Ontario.

Call for director-at-large nominations

Nominations for CSBA director-at-large, Asian/Pacific Islander and director-at-large, Hispanic, are currently being accepted.

Governance Consulting Services: New name reflects evolving role of CSBA’s former Single District Services

The name more accurately reflects an evolving emphasis on board-superintendent collaboration to transform governance team leadership for student achievement.

National arts assessment conference coming to L.A.

The National Conference on Arts Assessment will feature national experts on classroom practice, district and school management systems, high-stakes tests and the latest in arts assessment.

UndertheDome: State legislative updates

CSBA’s positions on current legislation.

O’Connell: 8th-grade Algebra 1 will cost $3.1 billion

The estimate is said to complicate state budget negotiations.

STAR signs mixed; scores up, but so are AYP standards

Despite five years of consistent and steady improvement, more schools will face sanctions when federal No Child Left Behind Act requirements tied to STAR results ramp up next year.

Latino school governance leaders in Visalia Oct. 9–12

The conference comes to the Visalia Convention Center/Marriott Hotel in Visalia Oct. 9–12.