MORE HEADLINES: Knowledgeable parents trigger autism, Another emergency session, Union leaders plead for education, Poor education investment = Poor literacy

from Rough&Tumble

Autism cluster found in Santa Clara County linked to parent education, not neighborhood toxins -- Researchers have identified a cluster of autism cases in the South Bay — but the elevated regional incidence seems linked to parents' ability to gain a diagnosis for their child, rather than any geographic risk. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/5/10

Governor to call emergency session for current budget -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intends to call the Legislature into emergency session to confront a nearly $6.3 billion budget gap in the current fiscal year. The governor is expected to outline his proposed solutions by Friday – when he will unveil his new budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year that begins July 1. John Howard and Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 1/5/10

Union leaders ask governor not to cut education funds -- State labor leaders held a conference call today to urge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger not to propose education funding cuts when he releases his budget later this week. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/5/10

California's literacy drops in national rankings -- California's oft-documented social and economic ills have a new symptom: A declining level of literacy, at least as measured by an annual study by Central Connecticut State University. Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/5/10