Your daily roundup of school news begins now: We blog on what seems to be the never-ending evaluation of Superintendent Terry Grier behind closed doors. The Union-Tribune goes to Central Elementary to check out their smaller classes, which could be saved using stimulus money. (You might remember that we did, too. These kindergartners are probably beginning to think that photographers are just par for the course at elementary school.) And the North County Times reports that Carlsbad schools are considering more cuts, such as cutting loose temporary teachers, to offset more cuts from the state.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Schwarzenegger and legislators have struck a budget deal that includes education cuts but does not suspend a state law that guarantees minimum education funding. It also forces the state to ultimately pay back the money it is cutting. A Sacramento-area school district signs a new contract with its teachers that involves cutting time from the school day and furloughing teachers. And the Press-Enterprise finds that the number of charter schools is surging in San Bernardino County — so much so that the school district has started talking about starting charter schools of its own.
Education Week explains what “multiple pathways” is by zeroing in on a San Diego high school where it’s happening, and explores the use of digital recorders as a teaching tool. (I have one and I can vouch: They’re nifty.) The Economist writes about online education in Alabama. And the Center on Reinventing Public Education has a new report criticizing the practice of paying teachers more when they get masters degrees, arguing that it doesn’t seem to have any impact on how well they teach students.