[Educationforall] Assembly panel struggles with education bills

[Justin Akers Chacón]

Some significant wrangling going on in Sacramento concerning the potential 
changes in ed law to allow for the increase of unregulated charter schools (in some cases
tied to corporate efforts at privatization) and the tying of faculty evaluation to school 
performance which is an effort to weaken unions and collective bargaining efforts.
Gloria Romero's (Democrat in the the Senate) Bill, which attempted to push the above efforts was defeated in favor of   
of a union-supported bill. As the articles point out, the debate continues. This is why our
activities as students and faculty are so crucial...to impact this debate. 



http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2384521.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+edsource/school_finance+(EdSource+|+School+Finance+News+Articles)


Assembly panel struggles with education bills
dlambert at sacbee.com
PUBLISHED THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2009



The Assembly Committee on Education pushed forward a bill Wednesday favored by unions and effectively shut down a bill supported by some education advocates and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The committee voted 10-6 to approve Assembly Bill X5 8, authored by Education Committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica.

Six members of the committee then voted in favor of Senate Bill X5 1, while five voted against it and others abstained, remained silent or weren't present for the vote - effectively killing the bill, which needed nine votes to pass.

After the vote, the measure's author, Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, expressed dismay that her "bill was killed by silence."

Both bills outline plans to meet federal requirements for winning a share of the $4.35 billion in Race to the Top funds being offered to the nation's schools.

The criteria include an overhaul of standards and assessments, using data systems to support instruction, implementing a plan to turn around the lowest-performing schools, and training and supporting teachers and administrators.

The bills have different approaches to meeting these requirements. The Romero bill included provisions to give parents a stronger voice in how schools are run, while Brownley's bill would establish more oversight for charter schools, among other differences.

State politicians need to agree on a bill soon if California is to be eligible for the Race to the Top funds. The deadline to pass legislation and submit applications for the one-time money is Jan. 19.

But Brownley expressed confidence Wednesday evening that her bill would fulfill Race to the Top requirements, saying, "Our legislation closely adheres to the Obama administration's guidelines and makes long-term improvements to our children's educational environment. It's a good day for California schools."

The Assembly bill is scheduled for a floor vote today. If passed, it would still have to survive a vote in the Senate and cross the governor's desk, where it could be vetoed.

Wednesday night, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement saying the bill adds layers of bureaucracy to charter schools and removes parental choice, threatening the state's chances to win Race to the Top funds.

"Today the Assembly and its leaders let down California's children, schools and parents," Schwarzenegger said in the statement. "President Obama issued a challenge: This is the Race to the Top, not race to the status quo."

The potential for a veto could move the groups to cooperate to produce one piece of legislation that satisfies all sides.

But Romero was hopeful that the Assembly Education Committee would reconsider her bill. After the vote, she asked Brownley to do just that. Brownley agreed. Romero said the committee could reconvene to take another vote on her legislation as early as today.

Romero said she is not opposed to both bills being signed.

The Education Committee voted on two other bills Wednesday, with two very different outcomes. AB X5 2 by Assemblyman Joe Coto, D-San Jose, was held in committee for further revisions. It would offer incentives to teachers linked to pupil performance, provide for closing failing schools and require a reduction in the number of outdated compliance issues in the education code, among other things.

A bill by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, was quickly passed. It would provide a process for responding to requests for student data for a new state education data system. The bill is scheduled for a floor vote today.



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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/12/schwarzenegger-threatens-to-veto-school-reform-legislation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+edsource/school_finance+(EdSource+|+School+Finance+News+Articles)

Schwarzenegger threatens to veto school reform legislation
December 10, 2009 |  2:42 pm
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today threatened to veto an Assembly version of legislation to reform California's schools, saying it falls short of the steps needed to overhaul education and make the state more competitive for $700 million in federal funds.

Schwarzenegger supports a state Senate bill that goes further in giving parents the ability to move their kids from poorly performing schools and force changes at such schools. The reforms are seen by Schwarzenegger as important to compete for federal Race to the Top grants. He also said the Assembly measure inhibits the formation and renewal of charter schools.

"I think it's unacceptable for the Assembly to water down the education reforms, and I want to make it clear I will not sign the bill the way it is," Schwarzenegger said at a Capitol news conference. "This is a race to the top, not a race to mediocrity, or a race to the status quo."

The full Assembly is scheduled to take up the legislation, ABX5 8, as early as this afternoon.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento
More in: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Education
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