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| 4LAKids: Sunday, Feb 22, 2009 |  | | | In This Issue: | | • | SCHWARZENEGGER SIGNS CALIF. BUDGET PACKAGE + BUDGET TIMELINE + ET TU ARNOLD? (The last cut is the sleaziest) | | | • | CALIFORNIA STATE PTA RESPONDS TO STATE BUDGET + SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES RESPONDS TO THE STATE BUDGET | | | • | THE NATIONAL AGENDA: E D U C A T I O N | | | • | N O W IS THE TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR ARTS EDUCATION IN LAUSD! | | | • | HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest of the Stories from Other Sources | | | • | EVENTS: Coming up next week... | | | • | What can YOU do? | |
Featured Links: | | | | Early Thursday morning, as the sun crept over the horizon and began to light the rice paddies and shipping canals of the Sacramento Delta, as the dawn lit up the windows and warmed the burgundy carpet of the senate chamber, State Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) was the most powerful man in California. His name was on the lips of everyone - and everyone wanted to be his friend. The governor took him to lunch the day before.
He held the moment - his moment - and he did not blink. He put his key in the slot and pressed the button. Aye.
His moment was not as much a Profiles in Courage moment as it was a Devil and Daniel Webster moment. Tragical realism.
His new friends would slap his back. His old friends would hiss and cloak themselves as senators do to plot his undoing. The Ides of March might come as early as this weekend at the State Republican Convention for Abel Maldonado.
Three wishes. If you had three what would they be? It's a game older than the one thousand and one nights that first put the genie in the bottle.
1. World peace.
2. Universal free preschool.
3. A wage and system that honors and respects the importance of teachers and teaching.
Abel chose these:
1. No increase to the gasoline tax.
2. No pay raises for legislators in times of recession.
3. Open primaries in California.
The first would please his constituents and his former friends in the Republican caucus. The second a political move - a "why didn't we think of that?" flash of do-gooderey by folks who had been misbehaving for 106 days straight. The third will send all the politicians to their caucuses, red and blue, conspiring for Abel's downfall. Figuring out new and believable ways to say "I voted for it …but I don't support it!"
And the budget itself? This dramatic dawn's-early-light solution that solves all the ills of the state? Notwithstanding its egregious and unconscionable failure to serve the people and the children of California — beyond that it tests and mixes the metaphors of cans of worms, nests of snakes and bolts of unraveling fabric with strings attached. We have traded in the precipice and the abyss for reliance upon the voters to sort the mess out — driven by mass mailers, campaign ads, talking heads and special interests: the misbegotten misleading the misled.
The time bomb is already ticking: 86 days 'till the May 19 election — if the voters don't approve all bets are off.
¡Nonetheless Onward/Hasta adelante! - smf
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GOVERNOR SIGNS BUDGET BILL, SOFTENS SCHOOL FUNDING CUTS: Takes action to further reduce spending and solve current budget gap
from the Kansas City Infozine
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - Topeka, KS - Governor Kathleen Sebelius has signed the 2009 budget bill and vetoed several components, solving the current budget gap and protecting public schools from the drastic cuts proposed by the Kansas House of Representatives.
“While I agree with the Legislature that reducing the 2009 budget by more than $300 million is appropriate, I believe that with so much of the school year already behind us, the cuts proposed to public schools are too deep,” Sebelius said.
●●Smells like leadership to me. - smf
SCHWARZENEGGER SIGNS CALIF. BUDGET PACKAGE + BUDGET TIMELINE + ET TU ARNOLD? (The last cut is the sleaziest)
► SCHWARZENEGGER SIGNS CALIF. BUDGET PACKAGE
The Washington Post
Saturday, February 21, 2009 -- SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed on Friday a package of bills designed to close California's $42 billion budget shortfall for the next 1 1/2 years. The signing ceremony was closed to reporters, and Schwarzenegger made no public comments.
The budget compromise requires voter approval of five ballot measures during a May 19 special election. Those measures would set a cap on state spending and institute a rainy-day fund, authorize the state to sell bonds based on future lottery revenue, shift money from certain social programs and guarantee billions more for schools.
A sixth measure, placed on the ballot as part of last-minute deal-making to pass the budget package, would be a constitutional amendment to freeze lawmakers' pay when the state runs a deficit.
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Another constitutional amendment, planned to go before voters next year, would create an open-primary election system.
The compromise deal, which is intended to cover the state's spending needs through the rest of this fiscal year and next, cuts $15.1 billion from programs, primarily education, and raises $12.8 billion in revenue, mostly through increases in the sales tax, personal income tax and vehicle license fee.
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►THE CALIFORNIA BUDGET: A TIMELINE FOR THE EVENTS TO COME
With Schwarzenegger's signature today, taxes will begin to rise in April. In May, voters will be asked to pass judgment on budget-related issues in a special election.
By Michael Muskal | From the Los Angeles Times
February 20, 2009 - Now that the Legislature has narrowly passed a package of bills to deal with California's $42-billion financial crisis, there are a number of red-letter days ahead:
LAST FRIDAY: Not wasting any time, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs the package of bills. The financial package includes tax hikes, spending cuts and borrowing billions of dollars more.
APRIL 1: The new taxes begin to kick in.
The sales tax increases by 1 penny on the dollar; Californians will be affected depending on how much they spend. For example, a Californian who earns $25,000 a year would pay an extra $163 in sales tax yearly, according to the Legislature. At the top, those earning more than $1 million a year would likely see their sales-tax payments go up by $2,800 a year.
Other tax increases include:
-- Vehicle license fees would double to 1.15% of value.
-- Personal income taxes would increase by a quarter of a percentage point. The surcharge would add $53 to the tax paid by those on the low end of the economic ladder and $2,250 for those earning $1 million with two dependents.
-- The dependent tax credit is reduced by $210.
According to a legislative analysis of those four tax increases, an average family of four with an annual income of $75,000 would pay $963 more a year in taxes.
MAY 19: Voters will weigh in on ballot proposals related to the budget deal. If the proposals are rejected, the state could face a hole in its spending plans.
Specifically, voters will be asked to approve the four temporary tax hikes in the budget.
Voters will also be asked to move $226 million from mental health programs and $608 million from programs aimed at children younger than 5 years old.
They will be offered the opportunity to put a cap on future state spending -- but only if the tax hikes just passed stay in place for four years instead of two.
On borrowing, voters will be asked to approve borrowing of $5 billion against future lottery proceeds.
Voters will also get to decide a constitutional amendment to eliminate salary increases for state officers, including the governor and Legislature, in years with a projected budget deficit.
JUNE 2010: Voters will be asked to adopt an open primary system. This would list all candidates running for a nomination on a single ballot instead of by party. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, would run against each other.
The open-primary proposal was designed to win state Sen. Abel Maldonado's support for the budget. Republican moderates such as Maldonado often have trouble winning GOP primary elections.
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►ONE LAST STAB TO THE BUDGET FROM GOV. SCHWARZENEGGER'S VETO PEN
Opinion LA Blog from the LA Times by Patt Morrisson
My oh my. This is about as transparent as Saran Wrap in sunlight.
After spending weeks calling on the Legislature to stop playing politics and pass a budget, what does Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger do?
He signs the budget, all right. But not before he uses his veto pen to whack 10% out of the budgets of four other state constitutional officers -- attorney general, controller, treasurer and secretary of state (all Democrats) -- along with the Board of Equalization (mostly Democrats). This smacks not just of penny-pinching but of pique. A judge ruled that Schwarzenegger did not have the authority to order furloughs for these elected officials' employees as he did for other state workers, so evidently he's doing with his line-item veto what the court told him he didn't have the authority to do by executive order.
On top of that, he whacked nearly two-thirds out of the budget for the lieutenant governor, John Garamendi -- a Democrat who's running to succeed Schwarzenegger -- but he didn't snip a penny from the budget of the insurance commissioner, Steve Poizner -- a Republican who's running to succeed Schwarzenegger as governor.
CALIFORNIA STATE PTA RESPONDS TO STATE BUDGET + SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES RESPONDS TO THE STATE BUDGET
►CALIFORNIA STATE PTA RESPONDS TO STATE BUDGET
PTA Press Release
Feb 20 -- SACRAMENTO - California State PTA President Pam Brady issued the following statement today in response to the budget adopted by state lawmakers and signed today by the Governor.
"This budget does not value the children of California. Instead, it puts on entire generation of children - and the state's very future - at risk.
"Some new revenues are part of this budget, and for that we acknowledge the Governor and legislators for recognizing the need to take a balanced approach to the state's budget crisis. Even so, the severe cuts that are included in the final budget threaten our state's commitment to a world-class education.
"These cuts are almost certainly going to drive California - already a dismal 47th - to the bottom among all states in per-pupil spending. That means cutting teachers, arts, classroom materials, counselors, nurses, small class sizes, and much more that children need to succeed in school and life.
"California cannot afford to go backward in its commitment to children and students, especially in challenging economic times.
"In the coming weeks, we will continue to analyze the details of the budget package, including several statewide initiatives that will be placed on the May 19 ballot as part of the budget deal.
"And California State PTA will continue to advocate for legislators and the Governor to develop a farsighted budget plan and process - a plan with vision, a plan that is a reflection of the hopes and dreams of the next generation, and a plan that is truly focused on the future of our state."
• everychild.onevoice. :: The California State PTA has nearly 1 million members throughout the state working on behalf of public schools, children and families, with the motto, "Every child, one voice." The PTA is the nation's oldest, largest and highest profile volunteer organization working to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is nonprofit, nonsectarian and noncommercial.
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►SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES RESPONDS TO THE STATE BUDGET: LAUSD BUDGET UPDATE AS OF 2/18/09: Subject to change based on updates from the State
from the office of Superintendent Ramón C. Cortines
OVERVIEW
1. Based on current projections from the State, our projected district shortfall is between $600 and $700 million and the prospects do not look any brighter for future years. We also do not know if we will have class size or categorical flexibility, so we must prepare for the worst case scenario.
2. My philosophy for moving forward will be the same as the 2000 Plan adopted by the Board
a) Central offices are to be right-sized and to focus on core operations, monitoring and oversight
b) The local districts are to provide support and service to schools
c) The schools are the heart of our District and are where teaching and learning takes place
3. Federal Stimulus money will provide some temporary relief, since the money is for one time expenses (spread over two years). Flexibility and use of this money still has not been determined.
a) Although the stimulus money has yet to be finalized, I will recommend that the majority of any unrestricted resources to be set aside to protect the schools.
CENTRAL – RIGHT-SIZED
We will be streamlining the central office to ensure the majority of our resources are at the school site.
1. I have recommended a 30% reduction in most central offices. We are in the process of reviewing the budgets and discussing how to implement our decentralized governance model.
2. Further, I am considering a recommendation to reduce the work year for most non-school based employees. Besides providing substantial savings, it will emphasize that our highest priority is support of the local school.
3. We are also reviewing outside contractors with the goal of substantially reducing costs and administered accounts.
LOCAL DISTRICT OFFICES SUPPORT AND SERVICE TO SCHOOLS
Via the decentralization of the central office, the local district offices will be responsible for working with their schools to ensure each school receives the service and support they need.
1. However, I am recommending that local district offices be cut up to 50%. I will expect my leaders in the local districts to work smarter to target services to the schools that need the most support.
2. While we have benefited from many ancillary programs that support our student population, we must now cut some of these programs to focus our limited resources on our core instructional program.
LOCAL SCHOOLS – WHERE TEACHING AND LEARNING TAKES PLACE
My approach is to build a school district from the classroom out, so that we can minimize the impact on teachers. The percentage of cuts will be the lowest at the school level, but given the cumulative size of our school budgets, the dollar amount will be large.
1. Since we don't have all of the necessary budget information from the State, we must be conservative by noticing a potentially larger number of certificated employees on March 15th
a. All certificated administrators will be notified
b. Since central and local district certificated employees have rights to the classroom, we will need to notify some permanent teachers.
c. To ease the impact on our novice teachers, we have implemented an aggressive early retirement incentive program (ERIP)
NEXT STEPS
February 26th: 2009-10 Budget Development process with recommendation for March 15th letters
March –June: Hold public reviews of the budget to ensure we all agree on our priorities
Addendum: COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS – UPDATE ON STIMULUS PACKAGE 2/17/09
Disclaimer – details have not been finalized on how and when the funds will be allocated to LAUSD, especially the State Fiscal Stabilization funds
Overview of Federal Stimulus Package by Jeff Simmering, CGCS
Five major types of aid to be expended over a 2 yr period (potential for flexibility to spread over 3 yrs)
1. Non Categorical Aid – State Fiscal Stabilization: $40B for education (broadly defined)
1. Proportionally allocated based on split b/w K-12 and higher education state reductions
2. Distribution of funds will vary state by state, but can be used to backfill state cuts
3. Distributed on per capita basis
4. Use of funds are based on ESEA, IDEA, Perkins, School modernization or repair
2. Categorical IDEA: $12.2 B ($11.3B traditional part B, $400M early Childhood, $500M infant and toddler)
1. 50% of funds can be used to offset Spec Ed use of General Funds
3. Categorical Title I: $13B ($10B Regular, $3B School Improvement)
1. Allocated by targeted and equity formulas
2. 95% will be passed through to LEAs
3. 1% used for State Administration
4. 4% school improvement activities
4. Secretary Bonus or Incentive: states that have made good progress will be awarded $5B ($2.5 allocated on basis of Title I)
1. Progress defined as states that are increasing equitable distribution of teachers, improved data systems, and improved assessments
5. School Construction Bonds - $22B tax subsidizes or bonding authority
1. After you sell your bonds the interest that you pay will be given a tax credit
2. Can be used as new construction and land acquisition
Council of Great City Schools estimate of stimulus for LAUSD (over two years)
• Title I: $398M
• IDEA: $168M
• Ed Tech: $9.7M
• State Stabilization has not been determined
Key Takeaways for LAUSD
1. We will need to be flexible in our projections until we receive the final allocations from the State
2. We need to be conservative with our projected use of our funds, because we do not know the magnitude of the cuts that from the State
3. Stimulus funds are one time funds, so we can not rely on using them to cover ongoing expenses
4. Depending on the cuts from the State, we will use the majority of the funds to help schools offset some of their reductions
●●smf's 2¢: [re: 3a] "Although the stimulus money has yet to be finalized, I will recommend that the majority of any unrestricted resources to be set aside to protect the schools." The words 'set aside' are worrisome, but I am assured by a school board member that the superintendent's intent is not to 'set aside' or 'squirrel away' this money like the bankers did with their bailout – but to spend it on programs like Class Size Reduction – which retains rather than lays off teachers and is therefore simulative to the economy.
THE NATIONAL AGENDA: E D U C A T I O N
From whitehouse.gov
President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that our kids and our country can’t afford four more years of neglect and indifference. At this defining moment in our history, America faces few more urgent challenges than preparing our children to compete in a global economy. The decisions our leaders make about education in the coming years will shape our future for generations to come. Obama and Biden are committed to meeting this challenge with the leadership and judgment that has been sorely lacking for the last eight years. Their vision for a 21st century education begins with demanding more reform and accountability, coupled with the resources needed to carry out that reform; asking parents to take responsibility for their children’s success; and recruiting, retaining, and rewarding an army of new teachers to fill new successful schools that prepare our children for success in college and the workforce. The Obama-Biden plan will restore the promise of America’s public education, and ensure that American children again lead the world in achievement, creativity and success.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
• ZERO TO FIVE PLAN: The Obama-Biden comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan will provide critical support to young children and their parents. Unlike other early childhood education plans, the Obama-Biden plan places key emphasis at early care and education for infants, which is essential for children to be ready to enter kindergarten. Obama and Biden will create Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state Zero to Five efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.
• EXPAND EARLY HEAD START AND HEAD START: Obama and Biden will quadruple Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding, and improve quality for both.
• PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE: Obama and Biden will also increase access to affordable and high-quality child care to ease the burden on working families.
K-12
• REFORM NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: Obama and Biden will reform NCLB, which starts by funding the law. Obama and Biden believe teachers should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles on standardized tests. They will improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college and the workplace and improve student learning in a timely, individualized manner. Obama and Biden will also improve NCLB's accountability system so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.
• SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLS AND CLOSE LOW-PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will double funding for the Federal Charter School Program to support the creation of more successful charter schools. The Obama-Biden administration will provide this expanded charter school funding only to states that improve accountability for charter schools, allow for interventions in struggling charter schools and have a clear process for closing down chronically underperforming charter schools. Obama and Biden will also prioritize supporting states that help the most successful charter schools to expand to serve more students.
• MAKE MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION A NATIONAL PRIORITY: Obama and Biden will recruit math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession and will support efforts to help these teachers learn from professionals in the field. They will also work to ensure that all children have access to a strong science curriculum at all grade levels.
• ADDRESS THE DROPOUT CRISIS: Obama and Biden will address the dropout crisis by passing legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school -- strategies such as personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time.
• EXPAND HIGH-QUALITY AFTERSCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES: Obama and Biden will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve one million more children.
• Support College Outreach Programs: Obama and Biden support outreach programs like GEAR UP, TRIO and Upward Bound to encourage more young people from low-income families to consider and prepare for college.
• SUPPORT COLLEGE CREDIT INITIATIVES: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will create a national "Make College A Reality" initiative that has a bold goal to increase students taking AP or college-level classes nationwide 50 percent by 2016, and will build on Obama's bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate to provide grants for students seeking college level credit at community colleges if their school does not provide those resources.
• SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: Obama and Biden support transitional bilingual education and will help Limited English Proficient students get ahead by holding schools accountable for making sure these students complete school.
• RECRUIT TEACHERS: Obama and Biden will create new Teacher Service Scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education, including high-quality alternative programs for mid-career recruits in exchange for teaching for at least four years in a high-need field or location.
• PREPARE TEACHERS: Obama and Biden will require all schools of education to be accredited. Obama and Biden will also create a voluntary national performance assessment so we can be sure that every new educator is trained and ready to walk into the classroom and start teaching effectively. Obama and Biden will also create Teacher Residency Programs that will supply 30,000 exceptionally well-prepared recruits to high-need schools.
• RETAIN TEACHERS: To support our teachers, the Obama-Biden plan will expand mentoring programs that pair experienced teachers with new recruits. They will also provide incentives to give teachers paid common planning time so they can collaborate to share best practices.
• REWARD TEACHERS: Obama and Biden will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them. Districts will be able to design programs that reward with a salary increase accomplished educators who serve as a mentors to new teachers. Districts can reward teachers who work in underserved places like rural areas and inner cities. And if teachers consistently excel in the classroom, that work can be valued and rewarded as well.
HIGHER EDUCATION
• CREATE THE AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT: Obama and Biden will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Recipients of the credit will be required to conduct 100 hours of community service.
• SIMPLIFY THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FINANCIAL AID: Obama and Biden will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Obama and Biden will work to ensure the academic success of students with disabilities by increasing funding and effectively enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and by holding schools accountable for providing students with disabilities the services and supports they need to reach their potential. Obama and Biden will also support Early Intervention services for infants and toddlers, and will work to improve college opportunities for high school graduates with disabilities.
N O W IS THE TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR ARTS EDUCATION IN LAUSD!
Once the state budget is actually handed down from Sacramento it will likely be immediately implemented by LAUSD. NOW is the time speak out.
By Mark Slavkin
Former LAUSD school Board member Mark Slavkin, currently Vice President for Education of the Music Center has put together some talking points for supporters and advocates of arts education In LAUSD to make to School Board members and Superintendent:
• In the two months since LAUSD implemented a "budget freeze," 428 planned arts programs and projects have been put on hold, denying thousands of students and teachers access to invaluable arts learning opportunities.
• In-class arts instruction is great, but that alone does not replace having students work with professional artists and see professional performances.
• The total budget for these programs is only $1.4 million, an inconsequential amount in the context of the LAUSD budget, but a "make or break" financial impact for the participating arts organizations.
• LAUSD created the Arts Community Partners Network, invited organizations to participate, and facilitated the process for schools to access these vital resources. This has been a true "win-win" partnership, that has allowed LAUSD to build new relationships with a diverse range of community institutions.
• Over 85 nonprofit arts organizations relied on LAUSD's commitment to plan their own staffing and program budgets for the current year. Now, without any real discussion or collaboration with its' partners, the District has pulled the financial rug out from under these organizations, putting many at risk of closure.
• We need LAUSD leaders to come forward and solve this problem. If we continue to wait to see what the Legislature does to resolve the state budget situation, it will be too late. The decision will have been made for you, and invaluable arts resources in Los Angeles will simply be gone.
••smf's 2¢; The lesson and history of the WPA and The Arts during the Great Depression must be remembered. There is very little more stimulative to the local economy and national welfare than putting arts and artists in schools.
LAUSD Contact Information
Ramon Cortines
Superintendent
Los Angeles Unified School District
333 South Beaudry Avenue, 24th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 3307
Los Angeles, CA 90051
Tel: 213-241-7000
Fax: 213-241-8442
superintendent@lausd.net
School Board Members have the same address
General Fax Numbers for all Board Members: 213-241-8953 or 213-481-9023
MARGUERITE POINDEXTER LAMOTTE Board Dist. 1 (South Los Angeles and
Mid-City) marguerite.lamotte@lausd.net
213-241-6382
Fax: 213-241-8441
MONICA GARCIA Board President, Board Dist. 2 (Downtown, Central City,
East Los Angeles) monica.garcia@lausd.net
213-241-6180
Fax: 213-241-8459
TAMAR GALATZAN Board Dist. 3 (East San Fernando Valley)
tamar.galatzan@lausd.net
213-241-6386
Fax: 213-241-8979
MARLENE CANTER Board Dist. 4 (Westside and Hollywood)
marlene.canter@lausd.net
213-241-6387
Fax: 213-241-8453
YOLIE FLORES AGUILAR Board Dist. 5 (East Valley, Eagle Rock, Northeast
LA) yolie.flores.aguilar@lausd.net
213-241-6383
Fax: 213-241-8467
JULIE KORENSTEIN Board Dist. 6 (West San Fernando Valley)
julie.korenstein@lausd.net
213-241-6388
Fax: 213-241-8451
DR. RICHARD VLADOVIC Board Dist. 7 (San Pedro, Wilmington, Carson,
Watts) richard.vladovic@lausd.net
213-241-6385
Fax: 213-241-8452
HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest of the Stories from Other Sources
AFTER BUDGET BATTLE, BASS HAS NEWS FOR HER ALMA MATER: The Assembly speaker, visiting Hamilton High School, says the blueprint includes 'devastating' cuts to education.
By Catherine Ho | LA Times
February 21, 2009 -- As her colleagues attended a budget-signing ceremony in Sacramento, state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass was a world away as she visited her alma mater in West Los Angeles on Friday morning to address a younger but no less demanding group.
GET LIT PLAYERS BRING POETRY’S EMOTIONS TO OTHER LA TEENAGERS : Troupe performs original works, compares Henry Wadsworth Longfellow with hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, and recites lively versions of Ezra Pound, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks and Edgar Allan Poe.
By Scott Gold | LA Times
February 20, 2009 -- For as long as he can remember, Dario Serrano's life was all screeching tires and echoing gunshots, babies' cries and barking dogs, a symphony, as he puts it, of "hood rats and gangsters," of "vatos vatos and payasos" -- dudes and numskulls, loosely translated.
By high school, he'd pretty much given up on himself. He bounced around between three schools. He started selling pot, though he always seemed to smoke more than he sold. His GPA fell to 0.67, which is about as bad as you can get and still be showing up.
Literature, it is fair to say, was not resonating. "I mean, 'The Great Gatsby'?" he says incredulously, and when he puts it like that, Lincoln Heights does feel pretty far from Long Island.
NO DAY 107, BUT COUNTING DOWN TO THE NEXT ELECTION
SacBee CapitolAlert: Shane Goldmacher | Capitol Alert Coordinator
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today will sign the budget package that the Legislature passed early Thursday morning.
Then comes the list of line-item vetoes.
[smf: The gov signs at 1PM, the list of line item vetoes should be available after that. California government is only transparent after the fact]
Of course, as Jim Sanders reports in today's Bee, more money woes could be in the state's future as the economy continues to falter.
Day 106 | 6:17 AM: SENATE APPROVES BUDGET PLAN!
The state Senate voted early Thursday to approve a massive budget package of tax increases, spending cuts and borrowing to close a $40 billion deficit after granting major concessions to one holdout Republican senator.
STATE HELD HOSTAGE
Sacramento Bee cartoonist Rex Babin: "Nobody move or the State gets it!"
STIMULUS BILL PROMOTES STABLE, ADEQUATE FUNDING
SCHOOL FUNDING UPDATE from National Access Network, Teachers College, Columbia University
smf: ‘Adequate’ is never enough and ‘promotes’ is not ‘provides’. However…
17 February, 2009 - The $789 billion federal stimulus bill, which was passed by Congress last weekend, allocates roughly $100 billion for educational purposes. This figure is almost double the U.S. Department of Education’s $59.2 billion discretionary budget---and gives promise to education advocates that the Obama administration will live up to its commitment to reform and improve education in the United States. Shortly after the compromise was announced, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s office issued a statement emphasizing the importance of “strategic investments in education,” stating that education is “one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive.”
EVENTS: Coming up next week...
Tuesday Feb 24, 2009
SOUTH REGION MIDDLE SCHOOL #6: Construction Update Meeting
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location:
Normandie Elementary School
4505 S. Raymond Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Tuesday Feb 24, 2009
CENTRAL REGION HIGH SCHOOL #13 (Taylor Yard): Construction Update Meeting
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location:
Glassell Park Elementary School
2211 W. Avenue 30
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Tuesday Feb 24, 2009
VALLEY REGION BELLINGHAM ES ADDITION: Pre-Demolition Meeting
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location:
Bellingham Primary Center
Multi-Purpose Room
6728 Bellingham Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91606
Thursday Feb 26, 2009
SOUTH REGION HIGH SCHOOL #15: Pre-Demolition Community Meeting
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location:
Dana Middle School - Auditorium
1501 S. Cabrillo Ave.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Questions re the above: 213.893.6800
*Dates and times subject to change. ________________________________________
• SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE:
http://www.laschools.org/bond/
Phone: 213-241-5183
____________________________________________________
• LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR:
http://www.laschools.org/happenings/
Phone: 213-893-6800
What can YOU do?
• E-mail, call or write your school board member:
Yolie.Flores.Aguilar@lausd.net • 213-241-6383
Marlene.Canter@lausd.net • 213-241-6387
Tamar.Galatzan@lausd.net • 213-241-6386
Monica.Garcia@lausd.net • 213-241-6180
Julie.Korenstein@lausd.net • 213-241-6388
Marguerite.LaMotte@lausd.net • 213-241-6382
Richard.Vladovic@lausd.net • 213-241-6385
...or your city councilperson, mayor, the governor, member of congress, senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think! • There are 26 mayors and five county supervisors representing jurisdictions within LAUSD, the mayor of LA can be reached at mayor@lacity.org • 213.978.0600
• Call or e-mail Governor Schwarzenegger: 213-897-0322 e-mail: http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
• Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school.
• Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it!
• Get involved at your neighborhood school. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. Be there for a child.
• Register.
• Vote.
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| Scott Folsom is a parent leader in LAUSD. He is immediate past President of Los Angeles Tenth District PTSA and represents PTA as Vice-chair on the LAUSD Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee. He is a Community Concerns Commissioner, Legislation Team member and a member of the Board of Managers of the California State PTA. He serves on various school district advisory and policy committees and has served a PTA officer and governance council member at three LAUSD schools.
• In this forum his opinions are his own and your opinions and feedback are invited. Quoted and/or cited content copyright © the original author and/or publisher. All other material copyright © 4LAKids.
• FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 4LAKids makes such material available in an effort to advance understanding of education issues vital to parents, teachers, students and community members in a democracy. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
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