<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18865">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Some significant wrangling going on in Sacramento
concerning the potential </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>changes in ed law to allow for the increase
of unregulated charter schools (in some cases</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>tied to corporate efforts at privatization) and the
tying of faculty evaluation to school </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>performance which is an effort to
weaken unions and collective bargaining efforts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Gloria Romero's (Democrat in the the Senate) Bill,
which attempted to push the above efforts was defeated in favor of
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>of a union-supported bill. As the articles point
out, the debate continues. This is why our</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>activities as students and faculty are so
crucial...to impact this debate. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV><A
href="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)">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)</A><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: medium 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"
class=Apple-style-span><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana, geneva, arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px"
class=Apple-style-span>
<DIV style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px" id=story_header>
<H1
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(2,74,130); FONT-SIZE: 26px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"
id=story_headline> </H1>
<H1
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(2,74,130); FONT-SIZE: 26px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Assembly
panel struggles with education bills</H1>
<H2
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; MARGIN: 3px 0px 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(119,119,119); FONT-SIZE: 20px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"
id=story_subheadline></H2>
<H3
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 18px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
id=story_creditline><A
href="mailto:dlambert@sacbee.com">dlambert@sacbee.com</A></H3>
<H4
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; MARGIN-TOP: 0.4em; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"
class=date>PUBLISHED THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2009</H4>
<DIV
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1em; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; MARGIN-TOP: 0.4em; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"
class=date><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV><BIG style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px"><BIG
style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px"><BIG style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px"><BR
style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px"></BIG></BIG></BIG></DIV>
<DIV
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 15px"
id=articlebody class=lingo_region>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">The committee voted 10-6 to
approve Assembly Bill X5 8, authored by Education Committee Chairwoman Julia
Brownley, D-Santa Monica.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">After the vote, the measure's
author, Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, expressed dismay that her "bill was
killed by silence."</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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."</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">"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."</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">The potential for a veto could
move the groups to cooperate to produce one piece of legislation that satisfies
all sides.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">Romero said she is not opposed
to both bills being signed.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px">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.</P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px"> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px"><FONT size=2
face=Arial>------------------</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px"><FONT size=2 face=Arial><A
href="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)">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)</A></FONT></P><SPAN
style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: medium 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"
class=Apple-style-span><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 14px"
class=Apple-style-span>
<H1
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 26px; FONT-WEIGHT: 100; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=entry-header><A
style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-WEIGHT: 100; TEXT-DECORATION: none"
title="Schwarzenegger threatens to veto school reform legislation"
href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/12/schwarzenegger-threatens-to-veto-school-reform-legislation.html"
rel=bookmark>Schwarzenegger threatens to veto school reform legislation</A></H1>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 8px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=time>December 10, 2009 | <SPAN
style="COLOR: rgb(139,4,18); FONT-SIZE: 18px"><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>2:42</SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: rgb(139,4,18)">pm</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 20px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 14px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=entry-content>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=entry-body>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.<BR>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 20px; MARGIN: 10px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">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.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 20px; MARGIN: 10px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">"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."</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 20px; MARGIN: 10px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
full Assembly is scheduled to take up the legislation, ABX5 8, as early as this
afternoon.</P>-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento</DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 3px 25px 0px 20px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; WIDTH: 360px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT: 12px Arial; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 95px; BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=entry-footer-left>More in:<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="COLOR: rgb(34,98,204); FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none"
href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/arnold_schwarzenegger/"
rel=section>Arnold Schwarzenegger</A>,<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="COLOR: rgb(34,98,204); FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none"
href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/education/"
rel=section>Education</A></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>