Morning, education readers — please pass the cornflakes.
The Union-Tribune digs in more to conflicts of interest at the local First 5 Commission and finds that the share of funds awarded to people who serve on its advisory committee has grown yearly. It also reports that Grossmont schools are training teens as teachers through internships at nearby elementary schools and chronicles the closure of an El Cajon school. The North County Times reports that eight people are vying for a spot on the Escondido Union High School District board — does this seem weird to anyone else in light of the fact that one San Diego Unified board member ran unopposed? And back at VOSD, we follow up on the charter school that was up for closure: The school board decided to give it a second chance.
George Skelton of the Los Angeles Times opines that this budget crisis could give California a golden opportunity to bring back local control of schools and other services. And the LAT also reports that lawmakers are angling to get rid of the Secretary of Education, a job appointed by the governor, because they feel its role is covered by the much larger Department of Education.
Education Week takes a look at programs for extremely gifted students. The Associated Press writes that public military academies are multiplying across the United States. And the better government website Understanding Government questions whether the reforms promoted by Arne Duncan, federal education czar, really worked that well in Chicago.