Friday, January 08, 2010

LAUSD IN THE NEWS: Friday, January 8, 2010

from LAUSD

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Opinion

Better teachers, the union way

United Teachers Los Angeles leaders offer ways to improve teachers and the education system.

By A.J. Duffy, Julie Washington and Gregg Solkovits

January 8, 2010

Great teachers aren't born -- they evolve. They must have certain things starting out, of course: a passion for knowledge and a love of working with children, to cite two. But it then takes years of study and practice to master the art of teaching.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-duffy8-2010jan08,0,5514515,print.story

Schwarzenegger signs school legislation

The bills, meant to increase the state's eligibility for federal grants, call for districts to take aggressive steps to improve failing schools. Teachers unions and other groups fought the measures.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is applauded by a history class at Bethune Middle School in Los Angeles after signing two education bills there. The legislation is intended to improve California's eligibility for federal Race to the Top school funding by encouraging districts to take tough action to improve failing campuses. Teachers unions and other groups opposed the bills. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times / January 7, 2010)

By Howard Blume

January 8, 2010

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited a Los Angeles middle school Thursday to celebrate legislation that sets the course for future school reforms and improves the state's chances at qualifying for federal money to carry them out.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-race8-2010jan08,0,7273172.story

Magnet school deadline moved up for L.A. Unified

November 9, 2009 |  6:00 am

The application deadline for the popular local magnet-school program is three weeks earlier this year. Parents will have only until Dec. 18 to turn in applications for their choice among 173 magnet programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/magnet-school-deadline-moved-up-in-la-unified.html

DAILY NEWS

State board gives more control to charter schools for students with special needs

By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer

Updated: 01/08/2010 01:07:39 AM PST

The State Board of Education approved a plan Thursday that gives independent charter schools statewide more control over how they educate their special-needs students.

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_14146286

Worst schools: Letters for Friday, Jan. 8

Updated: 01/07/2010 08:47:00 PM PST

Worst schools

Re "Assembly backs broadening parents' powers to change worst campuses" (Jan. 6):

Siphoning off top students by charter, religious, private, home and magnet schools leaves many public schools with below-average student bodies. Some are labeled 10 worst.

Obtaining good test scores from below-average student bodies requires more than good teaching. In fact, teaching in the worst schools, being very challenging, is likely to create the best teaching.

Blaming teachers for the low grades is failing to understand that intelligence is genetic and unalterable, and that some student bodies fall on the lower end of the Bell curve.

- FRED COBLE

North Hills

SAN FRANCISCO GATE

'A' for education effort

Friday, January 8, 2010

As far as education reform is concerned, 2010 is off to a good start. The California Legislature approved important reforms for California's application for federal Race to the Top funds on Tuesday, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed them on Thursday.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/08/EDBL1BEFD2.DTL&type=printable

State education plan makes parents responsible

Nanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, January 8, 2010

Giving parents their choice of schools. Making sure teachers are qualified. Forcing bad schools to improve.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/08/MNT41BEGO3.DTL&type=printable

USA TODAY

California passes major school-reform package

SACRAMENTO (AP) — The California Legislature has sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger landmark education reforms designed to overhaul the state's worst schools.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-01-06-California-education_N.htm

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