OCDE Education in the News

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

OCDE NEWSROOM

OCDE program trains educators to better engage families in support of children’s learning

Orange County Department of Education’s Family Involvement Network supports students from districts throughout the county by organizing forums and training that bring together teachers, administrators and community representatives to discuss how to better engage families in their child’s education. The forums address issues including what it looks like to engage parents and families in meaningful ways to support student success.

http://newsroom.ocde.us/ocde-program-trains-educators-to-better-engage-families-in-support-of-childrens-education/

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Southern California man at center of tainted flute investigation arrested on child exploitation charges

John Edward Zeretzke, 60, of Ventura, who runs Flutes Around the World and was suspected last year of providing flutes tainted with bodily fluids to hundreds of Southern California schools, has been arrested amid allegations of child pornography and exploitation. The federal indictment against Zeretzke is unrelated to a California Department of Justice investigation into the distribution of the flutes.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/09/17/southern-california-man-at-center-of-tainted-flute-investigation-arrested-on-child-exploitation-charges/

LOS ANGELES TIMES

California children enter school unprepared and never catch up, landmark research finds

When students enter school in California, they learn at a pace on par with — if not better than — those in other states. The problem is that they arrive far behind their national peers, and they never catch up. This conclusion, from a sweeping research project aimed at charting future education policy, focuses new attention on what is often overlooked: infant and toddler care, parenting skills, preschool and early childhood education.

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-california-early-education-20180918-story.html

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Districts Shuffle Problem Employees to New Jobs or Schools

When San Diego County public school employees sexually harass a student or colleague, they may be transferred to another job or school site, rather than fired, public records show. The process can leave parents, students and staff unaware of a new employee’s prior misbehavior.

https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/districts-shuffle-problem-employees-to-new-jobs-or-schools/

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

SF schools giving teachers raises without revenue to pay for them

Officials at San Francisco Unified School District may have acted prematurely in raising wages for around 3,600 teachers before the revenue stream to pay for them — generated by a parcel tax voters approved in June — actually kicks in.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-schools-giving-teachers-raises-without-revenue-13236083.php

USA TODAY

More teens are vaping marijuana than we thought, researchers say

A school-based survey reports nearly 1 in every 11 middle and high school students have smoked marijuana using electronic cigarettes. For a research letter published in JAMA Pediatrics on Monday, researchers analyzed 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey results of more than 20,000 students. They found that 8.9 percent of those surveyed said they had smoked cannabis in e-cigarettes. Male students were more likely to report cannabis use.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/09/18/students-vaping-marijuana-cannabis-jama-study/1343495002/

EDSOURCE

Spending on California schools chief race expected to set records again

Spending in the campaign for state superintendent of public instruction in California is expected to break records once again this fall, as charter school advocates and labor organizations focus on the race. Although the Nov. 6 ballot will include races for governor and U.S. Senate, it is the nonpartisan contest between Democrats — Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond and Marshall Tuck, a former charter school executive — for an office with limited power that is expected to attract the most money during the general election.

https://edsource.org/2018/spending-on-california-state-superintendent-race-expected-to-set-records-again/602241

SI&A CABINET REPORT

Ed. officials’ opinions split on implementing new standards

As many in the education community celebrated the recent adoption of California’s first computer science standards, at least one school leader who helped develop a plan for improving computer literacy, has expressed doubts that many teachers will be able to work the new standards in with everything else required in today’s classroom.

https://k-12daily.org/curriculum-instruction/ed.-officials-opinions-split-on-implementing-new-standards

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