OCDE Education in the News

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

OCDE NEWSROOM

4 PAL programs and an advisor earn honors for engaging students

Four school-based Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL) programs and an advisor have been honored by the Orange County Department of Education for implementing creative and innovative practices that amplify youth engagement and connectedness.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/4-pal-programs-and-one-advisor-earn-honors-for-innovative-practices/

Santa Ana High valedictorian speaks for the class of 2020 at ‘Graduate Together’ event

If you caught the star-studded “Graduate Together” event that streamed live and aired over four networks this weekend, you know that Santa Ana High valedictorian Priscilla Arceo was tapped to speak on behalf of her fellow 2020 graduates. And if you didn’t see it, well, she crushed it.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/santa-ana-high-valedictorian-speaks-for-the-class-of-2020-at-graduate-together-event/

LOS ANGELES TIMES

California’s schools lose big in Newsom’s budget

It’s easy to get lost in the numbers that make up the California state budget — dozens of mandates, thousands of programs, billions of dollars. And few programs have more complex funding rules than public education. But step back and compare Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s new budget plan with the amount that California schools need just to keep existing operations going for another academic year and the crisis facing kids, families and educators becomes crystal clear.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/newsletter/2020-05-18/california-schools-lose-big-gavin-newsom-budget-politics-newsletter-essential-politics

With the coronavirus keeping campuses closed, parents report academic, financial struggles and stress

Parents fear that their children are losing vital learning opportunities with school campuses closed due to the coronavirus, and these academic struggles appear linked to economic hardship and possibly race, according to local and national surveys released Monday. In Los Angeles, fewer than half of families in a recent poll of public school students said distance learning has been successful — and more than half also report one or more family members losing jobs, the district reported.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-18/la-schools-distance-learning-students-survey

DAILY NEWS LOS ANGELES

LAUSD superintendent says budget cuts could be ‘just as real a threat’ as coronavirus

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner warned Monday, May, 18, that state budget cuts could harm students, while the district is bracing for its own budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The harm children are facing is just as real a threat to them as is the coronavirus,” he said in a prepared weekly address.

https://www.dailynews.com/2020/05/18/lausd-superintendent-says-budget-cuts-could-be-just-as-real-a-threat-as-coronavirus/

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Schools Won’t Reopen for All Without More Cash, District Officials Warn

San Diego Unified is sketching out a vision that would allow students to return to classrooms in the fall. But there’s one big holdup: There will be no return to physical school without far more money from the state, school officials are warning.

https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/schools-wont-reopen-for-all-without-more-cash-district-officials-warn/

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Alameda schools to end academic year 6 days early

Alameda kids will get an extra six days of summer vacation following a unanimous school board vote Monday to end the academic year early, with officials saying the time would be better spent training teachers than instructing students.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/education/article/Alameda-schools-to-end-academic-year-six-days-15278988.php

USA TODAY

AP exam issues prompt College Board to offer email option. It's too late for thousands of students who will have to test again.

Students who encounter technical problems while submitting their Advanced Placement exams can now email their work as a last resort, the College Board announced as it heads into the second week of administering tests that can count for college credit. But the new backup plan option will only help students who take the tests on or after May 18.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/05/18/college-board-email-ap-test-tech-issues/5216224002/

EDSOURCE

Six urban California districts say proposed budget cuts will set back restarting school

Los Angeles Unified and five other urban California school districts collectively enrolling about 1 million students warned Monday that “unrealistic” funding cuts proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in his revised budget would force them to delay the reopening of schools this fall.

https://edsource.org/2020/six-urban-california-districts-say-proposed-budget-cuts-will-set-back-restarting-school/631924

Twitter CEO gives $10 million to close the digital gap in Oakland

After Twitter’s CEO heard that Oakland Unified and the city were trying to raise more than $10 million to close the gap between students with computers and internet access and those without, he announced he would donate nearly the entire amount needed.

https://edsource.org/2020/twitter-ceo-gives-10-million-to-close-the-digital-gap-in-oakland/631881

Education and the coronavirus crisis: What’s the latest?

EdSource is tracking the impact of the coronavirus on all aspects of education in California. See below for the latest developments compiled by EdSource staff.

https://edsource.org/2020/education-and-coronavirus-whats-the-latest/625119

NPR

Who'll Take The Tortoise? What Happens To Classroom Pets During The Lockdown

In the pandemic, families are taking on all kinds of unexpected roles. Here's another one: zookeeper. When the New York City schools closed in March, my son's teacher, Mary Pfeifer, sent an email to parents, asking who would be willing to invite the classroom pets into their homes — for the duration.

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/19/850596641/wholl-take-the-tortoise-what-happens-to-classroom-pets-during-the-lockdown

CALmatters

California community college chancellor endorses going online-only this fall

California’s 115 community colleges will likely remain an online system of higher education in the fall, its chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said today. “As we transition to the fall, many of our colleges have already announced that they’re going fully online in the fall,” Oakley said. “I encourage them to continue to do so. I fully believe that that will be the most relevant way for us to continue to reach our students and to do it in a way that commits to maintaining equity for our students.”

https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2020/05/california-community-college-online-fall-2020/

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