One thing to say today: If you learned it, then you should have got an A on it. Thanks to Alexander Russo for the link! Now for the newsblitz:
- We blog about the first bids for construction work under the controversial labor agreement on renovating San Diego Unified schools, which came in significantly higher than estimated. Critics say it proves the labor pact will inflate costs; the school district says it’s too early to tell.
- Oceanside schools are scraping for more ways to cut money, which means they may have to turn to employee groups to get concessions, the Union-Tribune reports.
- Also in the UT: A Lemon Grove middle school is temporarily closing to save its district money.
- The Vista teachers union is challenging the idea that it must repay more of the salary of its union president to the school district. The North County Times explains the legal debate.
- In SDNN, Francine Busby writes about why she wanted to be on the Cardiff school board.
- Up in Lake Elsinore, the school district has declared impasse with its teachers union. Some school board members here have talked about impasse, so it’s worth watching what’s going on in Lake Elsinore.
- Educated Guess blogs about why Los Angeles schools are getting pickier about granting tenure.
- San Francisco may close its “Newcomer High” for recently arrived immigrant students, the Chronicle reports. The school district says it can decentralize and provide the services at neighborhood schools; this sounds a lot like what San Diego Unified is proposing to do with parent classes to save money.
- The outpouring of stimulus money to schools could actually exacerbate inequality in schools. How? Education Week dissects the issues.
- As the share of students taking Advanced Placement exams has expanded, so has the failure rate, The New York Times reports. The Los Angeles Times blogs about how California compares on those tests: Students are doing better than nationally — but fewer are taking the test compared to students in other states.
- Education Week also reports on a batch of studies that warn that putting all students in algebra — something that California is moving towards — may not get good results.
- If you think it’s bad for budget cuts here, check out Detroit, where the Free Press reports that dozens of schools are closing.
- The American Psychiatric Association is dropping the label for Asperger’s Syndrome and instead expanding their definition of autism. How will that impact children with the disability in school? NPR reports on the change.
- Jay Mathews at the Washington Post sums up a study: Learning styles are hogwash. Well, not quite.
— EMILY ALPERT