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Oct 2009       

Duncan

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan conducts a town hall meeting in Sacramento last month, part of his national “Listening and Learning Tour.”

Web Only Articles

Survey: CSBA members focused on funding, learning

27 October 2009 - A recent CSBA survey identifies the most important issues facing school districts and county offices of education.

QEIA shell games amount to further education cuts

20 October 2009 - Since July, when the state budget deal eliminated $450 million for the Quality Education Investment Act in 2009-10, there has been a significant amount of uncertainty regarding QEIA. Several attempts that have been made to backfill QEIA amount to shell games that, if enacted, will amount to a further cut to education.

NAEP math scores document gaps—in assessments, achievement and more

19 October 2009 - While scores of sample California fourth- and eighth-graders on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress in math showed little difference from 2007—similar to results nationwide—those results on California’s own tests continue to show steady gains.

CalPADS is up and running—for the most part

19 October 2009 - Despite some initial glitches, the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data system went online Oct. 5. CalPADS will eventually provide detailed information about every California student, including demographic information about ethnicity, gender and race; enrollment status and grade level; and course enrollment and completion.

Draft rules for 'Innovation' stimulus funds circulate for comment

13 October 2009 - The U.S. Department of Education is accepting comment through Nov. 9 on its draft rules for $650 million in Investing in Innovation grants; individual local educational agencies or groups will be able to apply when the application period opens early in 2010.

Commission recommends significant changes to state tax structure

6 October 2009 - To improve the state's economic competitiveness and provide a more stable revenue stream, the Commission on the 21st Century Economy advocates simplifying the state’s personal income tax structure and creating a business net receipts tax that would replace the state sales tax.

Districts across the state receive same petition for online charter school

6 October 2009 - A newly created nonprofit organization known as Global Tides has reportedly submitted at least 91 petitions to establish charter schools to school districts in 14 different counties. Richard L. Hamilton, director of CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance, advises school boards to review all charter petitions carefully and seek legal advice.

In California School News

‘Race’: One-time money, lasting policy changes

It’s a mix of “deeply problematic” and “deeply desirable” goals requiring permanent changes in education policy in pursuit of one-time funds that will not be sustained, said CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin.

CAHSEE results inch up; O’Connell slams lawmakers

Pass rates on the California High School Exit Exam rose incrementally in the past year, with 90.6 percent of students in the Class of 2009 satisfying the requirement in time for their graduation.

Vantage Point: Focusing our efforts for the year to come

You can rest assured that this association will be front and center on the key educational issues that mean the most.

2010 CSBA officer candidates

Following are the candidates put forward by CSBA’s Nominating Committee for 2010 President-elect and Vice President of the California School Boards Association. Election of officers takes place during the Dec. 3 CSBA Delegate Assembly meeting in San Diego.

CSBA opposes Belisle appointment to SBE

CSBA has joined a chorus of opposition from education groups to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointment of Raneene “Rae” Belisle to the State Board of Education.

‘CSBA’s comments to USDOE regarding Race to the Top’

CSBA's complete comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed criteria for awarding $4.35 billion in Race to the Top competitive grant funds are available on CSBA’s Education Issues Web page.

Small districts take big hit from state budget cutbacks

Fifty-five percent of the nearly 1,000 school districts in California have 2,500 or fewer students. Together, they account for only 7 percent or so of the state’s enrollment, but state and federal funding and policy decisions can have a big impact on their operations.

Annual Conference offers opportunity and value

CSBA’s 2009 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show will make the San Diego Convention Center the place to be Dec. 3–5.

CSBA taps new technology on Facebook and Twitter

“This is an exciting new opportunity for members to share ideas and experiences with other board members who may not otherwise have the opportunity to meet,” said CSBA Research Analyst Leslie O’Neill.

CSBA is also on YouTube

A new video on CSBA’s YouTube channel captures the excitement of the recent Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership’s summit on redefining state-local government relations.