OCDE Education in the News

Friday, February 2, 2018

OCDE NEWSROOM

Tustin Unified reaches outside its boundaries to attract students

Tustin Unified schools are well worth a bit of a commute, the district would like you to know. District officials have spent about $9,000 this school year promoting Tustin Unified beyond its boundaries with advertising and a website. Bringing in students from outside helps bolster enrollment and, therefore, funding for TUSD.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/31/tustin-unified-reaches-outside-its-boundaries-to-attract-students/

Science Olympiad team powered by dedication of students, coaches

Parent volunteers may make a significant contribution at school – even when their own students are no longer attending. Five Canyon High School parent coaches, plus two teachers, are instrumental in the on-going success of the Canyon Science Olympiad Team. It is their involvement that, for more than a decade, has inspired the students to reach the state competition level every year.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/31/science-olympiad-team-powered-by-dedication-of-students-coaches/

How does Riley McCoy, the girl who can’t go out in the sun, have a high school life?

By all accounts, Riley is having an amazing senior year at the school her parents picked primarily because its common areas are mostly indoors. She won homecoming queen by a landslide, and the outpouring of love as the crowd chanted her name is, arguably, one of the greatest moments in school history. She is involved in student government. She sang in “Bye Bye Birdie.”

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/02/02/how-does-riley-mccoy-the-girl-who-cant-go-out-in-the-sun-have-a-high-school-life/

LOS ANGELES TIMES

DAILY PILOT

School district to pay additional $58,971 for Corona del Mar sports field designs

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will pay an Irvine-based architect an additional $58,971 to develop new schematic designs for the Corona del Mar Middle and High school sports field project. The school board Tuesday approved the agreement with LPA Inc. to create designs reflecting the $11-million project's final environmental impact report and proposed Option B, which was approved at an Oct. 24 board meeting.

http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-sports-field-20180201-story.html

DAILY NEWS LOS ANGELES

LAUSD will use same search firm to find new superintendent, but it gets a break on the cost

The LA Unified school board is set to confirm the same search firm that helped them pick Michelle King as superintendent in 2016, which will save the district at least $160,000. In the contract signed last time with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates of Rosemont, Ill., there was a two-year window clause that says, “If the Superintendent departs from the position during the first year under any circumstances or within (2) years if the majority of the Board is still in place, HYA will conduct a new search for the Board at no additional cost barring expenses.”

https://www.dailynews.com/2018/02/01/lausd-will-use-same-search-firm-to-find-new-superintendent-but-it-gets-a-break-on-the-cost/

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Skyrocketing Special Ed Costs Join Pensions as District Budget Busters

Add special education costs to the list of things crippling California school district finances. State and federal funds for students with disabilities aren’t keeping up with districts’ increased special education costs, leading districts to put increasing amounts of their general fund towards those services.

https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/skyrocketing-special-ed-costs-join-pensions-district-budget-busters/

EDSOURCE

Unions give big to Thurmond, charter backers to Tuck in state superintendent campaign filing

Marshall Tuck collected $2 million in donations in 2017 and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond received $1.4 million, according to year-end filings by the two presumptive candidates vying to become the next state superintendent of public instruction.

https://edsource.org/2018/unions-give-big-to-thurmond-charter-backers-to-tuck-in-campaign-filing/593199

Kickboxing and Kundalini: Part of a novel approach to reducing charter school teacher attrition

Kickboxing, yoga, Zumba dance classes, healthy snacks and nursing pods for new mothers are all an integral part of an unusual approach adopted by a charter school network in Los Angeles to tackle the near-universal problem of stress and isolation that teachers cite as major reasons they leave the profession.

https://edsource.org/2018/kickboxing-and-kundalini-part-of-a-novel-approach-to-reducing-charter-school-teacher-attrition/593093

All California schools built before 2010 must be tested for lead in water

The water supply to all schools in California built before 2010 must be tested to ensure it does not have high levels of lead, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson declared in a message to all school districts. The testing is mandated by a new state law (Assembly Bill 746) signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last fall.

https://edsource.org/2018/all-california-schools-built-before-2010-must-test-for-lead-in-water/593204

KPCC

A message for early educators: Babies are the 'ideal' scientists

Researchers at CalTech created the Early Childhood STEM Conference to give educators tools to view everyday activities as a chance to teach little children about science, technology, engineering and math. Hundreds of early childhood educators are gathering Friday and Saturday in Orange County for the seventh annual conference.

https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/02/02/80373/a-message-for-early-educators-babies-are-the-ideal/

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