Tuesday, October 13, 2009

SCHWARZENEGGER OKs SCHOOL BILL LINKED TO STIMULUS FUNDS

By The Associated Press from EdWeek

October 12, 2009 - Sacramento, Calif. -- California is removing a legal ban on using the results of student achievement tests to evaluate teachers, under a bill signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill lifts a barrier that prevented California from applying for $4.5 billion under the federal Race to the Top program. Schwarzenegger says more legislation is needed beyond the bill he signed Sunday. He has called lawmakers back into special session this fall.

California still has to qualify for the federal money in competition with other states.

To do so, education officials say the state must approve other reforms, including removing a cap on the number of charter schools, improving poorly performing local schools, and giving the state more authority to intervene in failing schools.

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