California Constitutional Convention Push fizzles

Strapped for cash, Repair California ends its effort to put a measure on the November ballot calling for a constitutional convention to confront the state government's ills.

CTA TAKES POSITION AGAINST CORPORATE LOOPHOLES

CTA President David A. Sanchez said teachers are supporting the Repeal Corporate Tax Loopholes Act because in these tough economic times everybody must be paying their fair share, and when big corporations are paying less, middle class families are paying more. (Lawmakers approved the $2 billion in tax breaks for large corporations and oil companies without any requirements for these companies to create new jobs. The tax breaks were negotiated in secret without any public hearings.)

ABC Video re Parcel Tax Initiative

CALIFORNIANS FOR IMPROVED SCHOOL FUNDING

2010/2011 is shaping up to be another bad year for the California state budget. That likely means more cuts to education spending, on top of the ones we've suffered through over the last few years.

It would be nice to have an alternative, or at least a supplement, to Sacramento's funding. Such an option does exist - governing boards can ask their communities to approve special education taxes, commonly known as parcel taxes. These increase district revenue by assessing a flat dollar fee on each parcel of property within the district. While not a complete solution to Sacramento-created fiscal woes, they are a welcome source of money for districts. Parcel taxes also strengthen the ties between a community and its schools by giving property owners a direct stake in their schools.

Legislative Update

2007 Bill to allow Adult Schools to become charter schools:

http://mobile.totalcapitol.com/?bill_id=6416

AB 807 -- Assemblyman DeLaTorre and Assemblywoman Hancock -- DOA.

Charter School Option

Question: Can Adult Schools Become Charter Schools?

Answer (from Connie Pekides):


Adult schools cannot get charters.

Here is the long answer.

What can happen is that a school can open as a K-12 high school and serve students over 18 if they, the students, go directly from their regular school to a charter school that serves students 18 and over.

The catch is that the students must be continuously enrolled in “high school.” Or the charter school must be one of the “exempted group” which is allowed to serve the "over 18" population and receive high school funding. In those schools, where I taught, my Adult Ed credential was considered the appropriate credential because of the age of the students. I was NCLB qualified.

So charter schools have some upper age limitations.

However, regular high schools do not have the same upper age limitations.

In the Ed Code, there is a mandatory minimum age for kindergarten and first grade. There is not an upper age limit to receive a high school education. It only says that a student must be "qualified" and it does not define "qualified." The Ed Code further states that school districts can have high schools, nights schools and alternative schools. The night school may be called Adult Education.

What that says to me is that adult schools should all convert to high schools, receive 9-12 funding instead of adult ed funding, and serve the same students. You could check with CTC on using adult school credentials for those students.

Then,

Business classes for those students (who do not have a high school diploma) become electives

ABE classes become CAHSEE prep (if we still have CAHSEE)

And adult schools become Alternative and Night High School programs, collecting 9-12 funding. Then the school districts can take our ADA and we can get even more money. Or they can get the new ADA that is generated at the higher rate and let us keep our ADA.

Hope this helps.