LA EDUCACIÓN TIENE LEYES PARA ESTRENAR/EDUCATION HAS LAWS TO BUILD

Sindicato Escéptico Porque las Leyes No Destinan Recursos Financieros

Union Skeptical Because Laws Have No Earmarked Funding

by Ivan Mejia | La Opinion [Translated from the Spanish by Google & 4 LAKids]

Thursday, 3 January 2008 - Technical changes to existing laws on Special Education and continued assistance to students who do not pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) are two of the 49 laws that come into force this year in the California public education system.

State schools chief Jack O'Connell spoke four days ago about the measures, but the teachers union (United Teachers of Los Angeles - UTLA) there is skepticism about whether the rules will help improve the education of students.

"I believe that such legislation will have a minimal effect on the education, because there are so many tests, both educational and curricucular that are not designed for the education of children… that is the real problem," David Goldberg, treasurer of UTLA told La Opinion

"I am not against these laws, but those laws are not accompanied by a budget," added the teachers representative, who explained that in order to implement many of the measures schools incur expenses and/or overburdened staff.

O'Connell said, via press release, that some of the laws will - among other things - help improve the standards of students and to add more rigorous educational curriculum.

"Another of the new measures will help streamline existing laws to provide safe transportation of students to schools, on-time accreditation of teachers and helping organic educational centers," said the head of state schools.

Goldberg replied that the lack of funding to schools not only is there a gap in the performance of African-American and Hispanic students, but that the same non-Hispanic whites lag behind in progress compared to students of the same ethnicity other States.

For her part, Monica Garcia, president of the Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) dismissed some of the laws, arguing that what is needed is an aggressive investment in education - because if neglected that area will prove more expensive to the state having to invest in social assistance programs.

Garcia indicated that on January 10 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will present his budget proposal and she hoped that after negotiations with legislators, the education sector will be "in the game".

NEW LAWS AFFECTING EDUCATION IN 2008 - California