California is better than this

There's a daily list of California education-related print news article posted on the website of FCMAT*. Just a look at the digest today tells a painful story. We've been hearing a lot about George Bush's failed presidency. The story here is Arnold Schwarzenegger's failed governorship.

FCMAT Education Headlines

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

• Stockton USD meeting gets heated over budget
  As Stockton Unified School District's trustees met into the night Tuesday, the most intriguing aspect of the night was what went unspoken. It involved a heated six-minute exchange during the meeting between Trustee William Ross and board President Daniel Castillo. Ross sought to put what he called "emergency" items onto the agenda. Castillo and Stockton Unified legal counsel Marie Nakamura shot him down, saying Ross had not followed proper procedure.
  
• San Marcos USD to send pink slips to 120 employees
  During an emotional meeting Tuesday night, San Marcos Unified School District officials recommended sending pink slips to nearly 120 employees -- everyone from teachers to bus drivers -- in an effort to reduce a projected $9 million budget deficit in the upcoming school year.
  
• Temecula Valley district officials roll out hard budget numbers
  When Tuesday's special session on the school district's budget began, the mantra of board trustees was "Everything is on the table" in attempting to slice $10.4 million in anticipated spending in the next fiscal year. By the end of the evening, at least one item was considered safe: class-size reductions.
  
• At least 50 to get layoff notices in Novato school district
  Students, teachers and staff made their voices heard Tuesday as the Novato Unified School District board of trustees outlined potential cuts, including layoffs, if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's slashing budget proposal for California schools is approved. District superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby said more than 50 certificated and classified positions will need to be eliminated and layoff notices would be in the mail March 15, the date required by California law to allow teachers to look for new employment.
  
• Fontana district facing cuts
  It is not a matter of if, but how many job cuts are coming to the school district. At a recent school board meeting, Superintendent Jane D. Smith said the next public session will be a time to discuss the "ugly, horrible things" that the school board will be forced to do. Smith said officials are scrambling to "spread the pain" across the Fontana Unified School District.
  
• Willows school board OKs cuts
  Impassioned pleas and difficult decisions ended with a 3-2 vote Monday night to reduce Willows Unified School District's budget and issue at least nine layoff notices.
  
• Bakersfield City SD anticipates loss of $19 million
  Deep cuts for the Bakersfield City School District could lead to the elimination of three administrator positions, an undisclosed number of teachers and staff, money for materials, $1 million in special education and $200,000 in transportation.
  
• San Juan cuts summer school courses
  The San Juan Unified School District trustees approved a controversial plan Tuesday night to slim down summer school offerings beginning this year.
  
• San Marcos school board hears list of recommended cuts
  Grim-faced school board members listened to San Marcos Unified School District Superintendent Kevin Holt present a list of recommended cuts Tuesday to reduce part of a projected $9.1 million deficit for the upcoming year.
  
• Two school districts considering big cuts
  Facing huge state budget cuts, school administrators in Oceanside and Carlsbad are recommending deep reductions – including closing two schools in Oceanside and laying off 185 people in Carlsbad.
  
• Teachers: 'We want everybody to come out'
  Keep any potential cuts away from the classroom. That's the message educators hope to send to the San Leandro Unified School District Board of Education at its meeting Thursday, when trustees are scheduled to discuss budget issues.
  
• First layoffs since '77 eyed for Elk Grove schools
  Teachers, classified workers and library technicians in the Elk Grove Unified School District may face layoffs this fall because of the state's fiscal crisis.
  
• Dems to detail governor's cuts in schools, health
  Senate Democrats mapped out a 10-week budget strategy on Tuesday that will emphasize the impact of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed cuts to health care and education.

*FCMAT stands for Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team. They are a state agency that "help local educational agencies fulfill their financial and management responsibilities by providing expedient fiscal advice, management assistance, training and other related school business services..." Whatever else they may do, they publish an interesting digest of news articles about education from all over the state.