Education Now tag:www.insidesocal.com,2010-05-05:/educationnow//456 2011-05-24T22:00:20Z Education from A to Z in the Inland Empire Movable Type 4.25 CSU prepares for the worst tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201614 2011-05-23T21:59:58Z 2011-05-24T22:00:20Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com It's one thing to talk about a worst- case scenario, it's another to see it in writing. 

California State University officials said that for the first time they're seeing - in black and white - what an all-cuts budget would look like if Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal for temporary tax extensions is rejected. 

"The California and California State University systems have already each been cut by $500 million," reads the governor's May Revise that was released last Monday.  ]]> "An 'all cuts' budget would require another $500 million for each university systems. The systems have reported that fee increases likely exceeding 30 percent would be necessary if additional cuts of this size were made." 

If a final budget is not adopted by the Legislature by the end of the fiscal year and CSU faces a proposed $1 billion cut, the system's board could be asked to take action at its July meeting to authorize a contingent tuition fee increase of up to an additional 32 percent - on top of the 10 percent increase approved for the fall, according to a CSU news release. 

The revised budget plan Brown presented showed the state with $6.6 billion in unexpected revenue through June 2012, and, thus, shrinking the state's budget deficit from $15.4 billion to $10.8 billion. 

By the start of the new fiscal year, July 1, all of the temporary increases to sales, personal income and vehicle taxes will have expired. 

Brown has been asking for a revised version of the tax-extension plan since January. 

The lack of an extension could result in a 36 percent year-over-year reduction in state funding for the country's largest public university system. More than 412,000 students attend CSU schools. 

CSU Chancellor Charles Reed called the budget "a scorched earth" and that it would inflict lasting damages on the university. 

"There will undoubtedly be severe and painful choices that we would have to make to address such a massive funding reduction," Reed said. 

Under a worst-case scenario budget, CSU officials estimates the system could turn away 20,000 qualified applicants who would otherwise enroll for the winter and spring terms 2012, according to a CSU news release. 

Cal Poly Pomona officials are continuing to assess the impact of an all-cuts budget and are concurrently looking at ways to save money, university spokesman Tim Lynch said. 

"Whether that involves scrutinizing every possible hire, finding more efficiencies in operations, and scaling back and critically assessing all discretionary spending," Lynch said. 

"As President (Michael) Ortiz has said, an all-cuts budget would significantly affect the university. The specific effects, beyond the general belt-tightening we've been doing for the past several years, are still being worked out." 

The final amount of any increase would depend on the final outcome of the state budget. 

For full-time undergraduates, this would mean an increase of as much as $1,566, or a total of $6,450, in tuition fees per year. 

In addition, campuses charge various fees that average $950 per year, according to a CSU news release. 

Throughout the budget process, Cal State San Bernardino officials said they have continued to hope for the best, but prepared for the worst. 

"As such, we've been looking at possible areas to cut since the concept of an all-cuts budget was first introduced," university spokesman Sid Robinson said. 

"We'll now take a much closer look, given that we have a little better idea of how the overall cuts to the university will play out, following the announcement from the chancellor's office about the contingency plans for the CSU - the proposed 32 percent tuition fee increase. That helps define what we'll see at the campus level. 

"We're in the process of determining areas of our budget to cut. That process will continue as we look at all areas of the university individually and collectively." ]]> Chino Valley union says district owes teachers money tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201618 2011-05-22T22:06:36Z 2011-05-24T22:07:14Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com

Author: Neil Nisperos , Staff Writer 

CHINO - Teachers union officials are asking Chino Valley Unified to adhere to contract language that returns excess state revenue back to members in light of concessions made last year to help balance the budget. 

At issue is the 2010-2011 contract agreed to by the Associated Chino Teachers union and the school district last June. 

The district now owes teachers about $3.7 million in excess state revenue to compensate some of the nearly $10 million in concessions agreed to by the union, which included 10 furlough days over two years and a class size increase, union officials said. 
]]> "The district says that in essence they received $6.7 million more than they anticipated this school year," said Don Taylor, executive director of the union. "With the five furlough days and the additional students, the concessions have saved the district way more money than they actually needed, so this is excess for their budget this year and next year." 

District spokeswoman Julie Gobin said the district is currently in negotiations with the union regarding the matter. 

Union officials said the contract stipulates the return of 55 cents on the dollar of excess state revenue if the district receives more than an earlier projected base revenue limit of state funds at $4,978 per student. 

The state budget adoption by Sacramento lawmakers last fall changed that per student state revenue figure to $5,202, according to union officials. 

"Our members are wondering why the district doesn't need to adhere to the language they agreed to and approved last June," ACT President Justine Cunningham told board members and district administrators on Thursday. "The message is coming out loud and clear that the district can choose when to follow or not follow what the language in the contract states. 

"Keeping your word goes a long way with the employees of this district. They may even be willing to help out in the future if they feel valued and trust that both sides are held accountable to the language in the collective bargaining agreement." 

The next bargaining session between ACT and the district is set for Tuesday morning.]]> Chaffey celebrates program grads tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201616 2011-05-22T22:00:46Z 2011-05-24T22:04:56Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Chaffey College hosted the sixth graduating class of the Online to College program earlier last week at the Montclair City Council chambers. 

The ceremony on May 17 celebrated the success of 131 Online to College graduates of Montclair High School's Class of 2011. 

Chaffey College, Montclair, Ontario-Montclair School District, and the Montclair Collaborative created the Online to College program in 1998 to improve the college-going rate of students in Montclair. 

]]> The program promises students a free education at Chaffey College after graduation. 

In order to be eligible for the scholarships students must remain in a participating OMSD school from fifth grade and successfully graduate from Montclair High School, according to a Chaffey College news release. 

"We started out with a penny but a belief it would happen," said Bonnie Mooney, OMSD's coordinator for community and health services. 

Every year a new cohort of fifth-grade students enrolled in participating schools in the Ontario-Montclair District enters the program. 

One Online to College recipient, now a first-year student at Chaffey College, spoke at last week's ceremony. 

"College is a different experience. The bullies are gone, there are no cliques, no popular kids," said Edward Espinoza, 19, Chaffey College history major. 

"College is a relaxed environment where everyone has one goal in mind and that's to learn and to learn from one another." 

Espinoza said the idea of two free years of school is still shocking. 

"I'm just surprised," he said. "It's like, pinch me, am I dreaming?"]]> Alta Loma High freshman wins new car for perfect attendance tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201613 2011-05-19T21:58:52Z 2011-05-24T21:59:22Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com ONTARIO - Melissa Hedrick doesn't have a permit to drive a car, but she's going to get one ASAP. 

On Thursday, the Alta Loma High freshman won a new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze from Mark Christopher Chevrolet Auto Center for having perfect attendance. 

"I didn't think it could happen to me," said Melissa, 15, of her new metallic grey car valued at $20,000.  ]]> "I thought the car would go to someone else - I didn't think I would have a chance." 

The Ontario dealership choose two schools from Chaffey Joint Union High School District to participate in the the third annual contest. 

Students at Alta Loma and Ontario High schools with perfect attendance during the 2010-11 school year were eligible to win the car. 

The only exceptions to missing school were school- sponsored field trips and activities. 

Melissa's mother, Susan, said the car is really going to come in handy after her daughter graduates. 

"She plans to go to college, so she's definitely going to need a car to drive," Susan said. 

District officials said Melissa's name was in a drawing with 375 other students who had perfect attendance. 

Students attending school all year can add up to $1 million in revenue for the district, which has schools in Ontario, Montclair and Rancho Cucamonga. 

Principals of the high schools said attendance increased dramatically because of the dealership's program. 

At Ontario High, 130 students had perfect attendance this year, up from 37 in the previous school year. 

At Alta Loma, 245 students came to school all year, compared to the 90 that had perfect attendance the previous school year. 

"A car gives you a lot of opportunities to get out," Melissa said. "Like this summer, I'm going to be volunteering at the library, so this will help me get to where I need to go." 

The dealership paid for tax and license for the vehicle, which gets 35 miles per gallon. It also has OnStar, anti-lock brakes, and is Bluetooth- and iPod-compatible. 
]]> Forum addresses U.S. education tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201612 2011-05-18T21:58:05Z 2011-05-24T21:58:31Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com CLAREMONT - The United States can no longer afford its continued commitment to underfunding public education. 

That was the sentiment of Stanford University professor Linda Darling-Hammond at a recent forum at Claremont Graduate University. 

The forum - titled "The Urgency of Transforming Education for an Equitable, Diverse Society" - included discussions on racial inequity, student achievement and teacher education. ]]> The nation needs to make an investment in education that will allow children to live without fear of homelessness, lack of health care and food insecurity, said Darling-Hammond, who served as a leader of President Barack Obama's education policy transition team. 

"We're spending $46,000 for kids in prison today in a prison population that is the largest in the world," she said. 

Darling-Hammond then wondered why $8,000 wouldn't be spent to get them the education they need to learn how to read and write. 

Darling-Hammond made her comments during a speech titled "Creating a level playing field: Equalizing resources and supporting teaching." 

She said there are three things the nation can do to better afford the kind of education that students need today. 

"No. 1, what we need to do is reduce incarceration substantially because the prison budget is taking up much of what should be spent on education," she said. 

Her second suggestion is to "end a war, or maybe two." 

"Because we have the largest defense budget of any nation in the world, in fact, our defense budget is larger than the next 20 nations combined, it is making it impossible to take care of the needs of our people," she said. 

And third, she said the wealthy need to be taxed. 

"That 1 percent that now controls 25 percent of the wealth of the country needs to be prepared to contribute to the welfare and children of the country, and the capacity of teachers to be accomplished with the knowledge and skills they need to teach those kids well," Darling- Hammond said. 

Darling-Hammond was one of four panelist at the May 13 forum at the Albrecht Auditorium. 

The other panelists were Carlos Garcia, superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District and a CGU alumnus; Claude Steele, the 21st provost of Columbia University and a professor of psychology; as well as Diane Watson, ex-California congresswoman and former ambassador in President Bill Clinton's administration. 

The forum can be viewed at www.cgu.edu. 
]]> ULV to form tax district tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201619 2011-05-16T22:07:48Z 2011-05-24T22:08:27Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com

Author: Wes Woods II, Staff Writer 

LA VERNE - The University of La Verne will have to pay for expanded fire protection for creating the largest building in the city, and it will use a novel way to come up with the money. 

A Community Facilities District was recently created for the university to finance fire suppression and prevention services. 

It will cost the university $50,000 a year for its residence hall and an additional $20,000 a year for a campus center. 
]]> Such districts are more commonly used for developing new tracts of property or specific projects like a public school or sewer project. 

Instead, the City Council members recently agreed to endorse the step of using the Mello-Roos Communities Facilities Act of 1982. 

That allows the university to levy a special tax on itself to finance the fire suppression and prevention services. 

Forming the district required a vote of approval by the landowners involved, and there is only one, the university. University officials voted "yes" during the meeting. 

A second reading of the ordinance will take place tonight, allowing the tax to become effective June 16. 

Fire Chief John F. Breaux said his department's requirements led to the creation of this district. 

The Fire Department requires developers or landowners who build large structures in the city to assist in the expansion of the department to provide fire coverage there. 

Breaux said the university's residence hall will be more than 100,000 square feet, making it the city's largest building, greater than an 85,000-square-foot building on Fairplex. 

Breaux said funds would go toward the replacement of an equipment ladder truck, and the City Council would look at hiring three more firefighters next year. 

"But the council has to approve this," Breaux said of the department's proposal. 

ULV Executive Vice President Philip Hawkey said he understood the residence hall is four stories tall and nearly the same height as the campus center, so money from the district was needed to construct both. 

"Let me say that the university did not object to this fire assessment district," Hawkey said. "We understand the financial limitations on the city. We, of course, are very supportive of having a strong fire department and the strong fire response that is needed. So we were sympathetic to the proposal." 

In 10 years, there will be a review of the district's purpose, Hawkey said. 

"I'm anticipating technologies of fire suppression will change a lot over the years," Hawkey said. "Even now, there are relatively few fires, and most fire departments spend most of their resources on emergency medical response. With building code improvements, sprinkler improvements and various ways to prevent fires from occurring, maybe some day fires will be unlikely." 

Breaux said the city has another facilities district on the south side of Arrow Highway between Arrow and Brackett Field, covering more than a million square feet. 

"It's right now funding four firefighter positions completely," Breaux said of the industrial development. "It's not a minor subsidy. The revenue on that is in the neighborhood of $900,000. It's also funding a police officer and some administrative costs."]]> Layoffs deadline passes tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201611 2011-05-16T21:57:24Z 2011-05-24T21:57:50Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com Hundreds of school employees will not be returning to Inland Valley classrooms this fall as the deadline for officially laying off teachers, counselors and nurses passed Monday. 

The reductions are a result of the ongoing state fiscal crisis and its inability to fully fund public schools. 

"I think we have to accept the fact that students will get a little less attention, and I know our staff will do their best so that our students won't feel any difference, but it's just a matter of time when they will," said Cyndy Byrd, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Ontario-Montclair School District.  ]]> "We're still able do well by our students, but not as well as we want to." 

More than 20,000 California teachers statewide have received pink slips, which are effective June 30. 

Although OMSD didn't issue any notices to permanent teachers, they did issue 86 notices to temporary teachers - those contracted on a year-to-year basis. 

"But because of the budget crisis, we've had to raise our class sizes from 25 to 27 students in the primary K-third grades and then 29 students in the fourth and fifth grades," she said. 

Some officials are even hopeful things will turn around as a result of Gov. Jerry Brown's May budget revision, announced Monday. The revise provides $3 billion more in funding to public schools, but it's part of a larger plan that requires the extension of current tax rates, a plan that Republicans are still resisting. 

"The district, teachers association, and board of trustees are working diligently on ways to bring back as many of the teachers affected by the layoff as possible," said Michael Whisenand, superintendent of Alta Loma School District. 

Whisenand said the Rancho Cucamonga-based district sent out 18 notices in March. If the district is not able to bring back those teachers, it will result in an increase in class sizes at all grades, and, in particular, primary grades. 

There is still much concern in the Fontana Unified School District, where the board recently voted to send final layoff notices to 129 educators and counselors to keep the district solvent. 

In Pomona Unified, officials said they will send out a final 198 notices to their certificated staff. Back in March, the district sent out 272 temporary notices. 

In past years, districts were able to bring pink-slipped employees back through a mix of early retirement and other incentives. Districts were even able to save jobs by using federal stimulus and other funding. 

But those resources have now dried up. 

The Mountain View School District hired back teachers for this school year using federal monies. But last week, the superintendent said the Ontario-based district's final count for permanent notices is 7 permanent teachers and 7 1/2 temporary teachers. 

"Once again, we are very saddened by the layoffs. We released highly competent and wonderful teachers," said Rick Carr, Mountain View's superintendent. "We are looking at class sizes of approximately 30 (students to) 1 (teacher) in 2011-12." 

Central School District released five temporary teachers as a precautionary measure if enrollment projections did not come to fruition, said Lori Isom, assistant superintendent of business services for the Rancho Cucamonga-based district. 

"Currently, our kindergarten enrollment appears to be exactly as projected so we do not anticipate releasing anyone," she said. "However, we have made significant reductions to our staffing over the past two years. We have increased class sizes by eliminating the class size reduction program. By eliminating CSR, we reduced our teaching staff by 13 in 2009-10 and an additional eight in 2010-11, (and) eliminated two counselor positions in 2010-11." 

Central also reduced its classified staff by 12 people. Two management positions have also been eliminated and an additional management position will be eliminated in 2011-12, Isom said. 

In all districts, employees who have received notices have a right to request a hearing before an administrative law judge to determine if the law was followed in determining who would be laid off. 

Chino Valley Unified School District board members on Thursday may consider rescinding eight of its 81 layoff notices to teachers following that process, district spokeswoman Julie Gobin said. 

The single-school Mt. Baldy School District, in addition to reducing its classified staff by 25 percent, will cut its one physical education teacher. The district serves about 100 students in grades kindergarten to eight. 

"Since we've eliminated the PE (physical education) teacher, our classroom teachers will now be teaching PE," Mt. Baldy Superintendent Kevin Vaughn said. "This will be an additional burden on the teachers in regard to planning for PE. It's just another thing they will have to now do." 

Cucamonga School District officials said they had to release six temporary teachers, one counselor and an assistant principal. This means that class sizes throughout the district will be much higher starting this fall, and there will be less administrative support for students and staff at the middle school, said Janet Temkin, superintendent of the Rancho Cucamonga-based district. 

"In addition, we have had to ask our employees for salary concessions through a reduction in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years," Temkin said. "This significant loss of instructional time is going to have a dramatic effect on student learning." 

Staff Writer Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell contributed this to report. ]]> Rethinking homework tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201610 2011-05-16T21:54:49Z 2011-05-24T21:57:04Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com FONTANA - Mango Elementary School pupils may soon benefit from their teachers' efforts to redefine that bane of students and parents alike: homework. 

In fact, some educators at the school are trying to make those traditional packets of busywork sent home every day a thing of the past. 

Still in its pilot stages, half the Mango Elementary staff is working to redefine the conventional ways of doing "homework" and moving toward "Goal-Work." 

The students are encouraged to set small, achievable and timely goals that range from academic to social, Mango Principal Sara Najarro said. 
hw.PNG
Caption: Photo: Mango Elementary School Principal Sara Najarro explains how some kindergartners have moved away from doing traditional homework at her school. Instead, students work on attaining individual goals, which they call Goal-Work. (Will Lester/Photographer)
]]> Without the right guidance at home, it's difficult to expect students to complete as well as understand homework. 

And in an era of single parenting, parents not speaking English, or some not understanding their child's homework, it's all the more difficult to get that help at home. 

"If you think about it, we don't have the means for the old way of doing homework," Najarro said. 

Mango Elementary, a recipient of the California Distinguished School award, is also part of the No Excuses University. The network of elementary, middle and junior high schools across the nation promotes students going to college. 

Part of being a No Excuses University is that everyone in the school - from staff members to students - sets goals. 

Najarro said the idea of "Goal-Work" came out of a staff brainstorming discussion on how to incorporate goal-setting into the everyday classroom setting. 

Goal work is different because students, along with their teacher, will set goals based on the subject matter. There is not a typical assignment that is given to each student. 

So if a student is working on multiplication facts in the third grade, instead of giving that student a variety of multiplication facts, the student will work with the teacher to set their goal, which is to master a certain group of multiplication facts, Najarro said. 

For example, if a student has mastered multiplication tables for ones and twos, their next goal would be threes. They may practice that at home and in school with flash cards, math games or computer programs. And they would practice that until they are ready to show the teacher and to move onto the next goal, Najarro said. 

"Just as children strive to reach the next level in a video game, goal work enables them to strive to meet the next academic challenge in school," she said. 

A child's approach to homework tends to be just to get it done, but with goal work a child must strive to master the particular subject before moving to the next level, Najarro said. 

If the child is not reaching their goal, the teacher will modify the goal to something that is more attainable, Najarro said. 

Kindergarten students in Julia Rhoades class have behavioral as well as academic goals. Some students have even set their goal to tie their shoes. 

For second grade teacher Roseann Gray, moving away from homework to "Goal-Work" allowed students to realize they can be successful. 

"For years, I used to give my students 15-page math packets, front and back, and it was more or less busywork, and you're not even sure if they're doing it by themselves or even if they're getting it," Gray said. 

She said because students set their own goals, they're able to focus on one skill at a time. 

"Even with more students in my classroom, I now know my students better than I did before," Gray said. "I feel I can tell parents exactly where their kid is because I'm able to see exactly where my students are because I'll know by their goals." 

Training parents to ask children if they've completed their goals, as opposed to if they've complete their homework, is one of the challenges faced by the school, said Theresa Gomez, Mango's instructional teacher. 

"It's all about setting a new language for our school culture," she said. 

In addition, Najarro said another challenge is getting every teacher on campus on board. 

"They have their long-term beliefs that students need to have homework, that's what they've always done and they believe there is a certain benefit to homework," she said. 

Najarro said she can't mandate teachers not to assign homework because "Goal-Work" is a pilot program, and because the Fontana Unified School District board policy sets parameters on length of time, per night, for homework, based on students' grade levels. 

Two other elementary schools - Canyon Crest and Almond - have also started moving away from assigning traditional homework, said Cali Olsen-Binks, Fontana Unified's superintendent. 

Olsen-Binks said the district will use a committee of teachers to run a homework policy review task force next year to develop changes and then make a recommendation to the board. 

In the meantime, Mango staff members have reached out to the community to help them understand what they're trying to do by creating a "Homework Outreach Program" at the Mango Villas apartment complex near the school. 

For one hour twice a week after school, teachers meet in the lobby of the apartment complex and invite students, and even their siblings, to get help on either their "homework" or achieving their goals. 

"It's great because now the kids are getting one-on-one time with a teacher," instructor Jerry Bruner said. 

Najarro said some of the positive results of moving away from traditional homework is that there is a decrease in student discipline and increase in positive school climate. 

"I don't want kids to be sitting out on recess because they haven't done their homework," she said. 

Homework was one subject that was heavily discussed in the educational documentary "Race to Nowhere," which was shown to a large group of educators, parents and business leaders May 9 at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga. 

The documentary by Vicki Abeles explores the high-pressure and high-stakes culture that has become part of schools and children's lives. 

Students in the documentary talked about how the expectation of homework was too intense, leading one of them to anorexia, one to depression and another to think about dropping out. 

Even though some students interviewed in the film were in high school, Najarro said, "If we begin to change the paradigm at the early stages, then even traditional homework could be viewed as by students as a goal, versus something that is done to them." ]]> English learners' test scores drop in region tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201609 2011-05-15T21:53:59Z 2011-05-24T21:54:25Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com The percentage of English learners scoring at advanced performance levels has gone down in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, according to the state Department of Education. 

The results from California English Language Test report, released last week, also show the number of students that have not gained in language proficiency from the 2009-10 to 2010-11 school years. The test assesses the English-language proficiency of K-12 students. 

Kindergarten through first- grade students have their listening and speaking skills tested.Students in second through 12th grades are tested for listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.  ]]> Students were tested last fall. 

In San Bernardino County, 8 percent of students scored at the advanced performance level, down 2 percentage points from the 2009-10 school year. 

In Los Angeles County, 8 percent of students are English- language proficient, down one percentage point from the previous year. 

Eight percent of the state's students are at the advanced performance level, down 1 percentage point. 

"These results demonstrate that the valiant efforts of teachers and school administrators to help our students become fluent in English are being undermined by budget cuts that are crowding classes and shortening the school year," state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said. 

"For years, we've been asking our schools to do more with less, and somehow they have managed to deliver. That cannot go on forever. The only way to achieve and sustain the excellence we want for English learners and all students is to invest in our schools again." 

Compared to the rest of the nation, California has the greatest number of students whose primary language is not English. More than 100 languages are spoken by the state's English learners, of which about 85 percent speak Spanish, according to the state Department of Education. 

Locally, a majority of districts also saw a decline in students who are English-language proficient. 

In Rancho Cucamonga's Central School District, 10 percent of students scored at advanced performance levels, down 8 percentage points from the previous year. 

In Ontario-Montclair School District, 8 percent of students are scoring at advanced, down one percentage point. 

"Based on five years of CELDT annual assessments, OMSD students are scoring at the Advanced and Early Advanced level at a greater rate. Comparing 2010-11 data to last year, our numbers are nearly identical," said Scott Turnbull, OMSD's director of standards and assessment. 

"Part of this trend is due to the fact that our district has focused more on reclassifying English learners ... OMSD has greatly increa- sed our focus on long- term English learners, those English learners who have been in U.S. schools four or more years but are still scoring at the intermediate level or lower on CELDT." 

The San Bernardino City Unified School District showed a 1percentage point decline. Seven percent of students tested scored in the advanced range. 

Like Torlakson, school board president Danny Tillman credits the decline on budget cuts. 

"We have cut $100 million in San Bernardino City Unified in the last three years, and that means you are taking away a whole lot of resources from students," Tillman said. "English learners remain a priority in the district and it will continue looking at ways to ensure that group of students gets the tools they need to perform." 

A handful of area districts, however, did show growth. 

In Bonita Unified - with schools in San Dimas and La Verne - students showed a 4percentage point growth in language proficiency. 

Redlands Unified schools had 13 percent of its students scoring at the advanced level, up a percentage point from the previous year.]]> School's novel approach tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201608 2011-05-08T21:53:02Z 2011-05-24T21:53:42Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com ONTARIO- Ray Wiltsey Middle School staffers have started a two-week school-wide reading program designed to engage students in discussion and critical thinking. 

As part of the program, which ends Tuesday, every seventh- and eighth-grader had to read the children's fantasy and mystery novel "The Dark Hills Divide," which was authored by Patrick Carman. 

School officials have also asked community members to read to students for an hour every morning and take part in a class discussion, which includes summarizing chapters, discussing vocabulary as well as asking and answering questions.  ]]> "Literature plays a very important part in a child's educational development," Principal William Corrette said of the program that began April 25. 

"Unfortunately, many students have not discovered the love of reading for pleasure. Sadly, a recent random survey of our students revealed that less than 30 percent remember having been read to by their parents or family members during their early childhood years." 

Corrette said assigned reading is a part of a student's education experience, but research reflects children who are read to during their childhood years are more likely to be successful in school and become fluent readers. 

During a read-aloud session late last month, Mac Wolfe, Colony High School's assistant principal, read to an eighth-grade class of about 30 students. 

He stopped reading after almost every paragraph to ask students if they understood what was happening in the books and explaining to them why details are important. 

Down the hall, in another classroom, Michelle Stotts was asking her seventh-graders to describe the main character Alexa Daley. 

"In the beginning Alexa is portrayed to be by her dad's side, she was courageous but not mischievous," Stotts said. "And that's exactly how these kids are and I think that's a connection to them of how they are in real life." 

According to a teaser on the book, "12-year-old Alexa is spending another summer in Bridewell with her father. She's also eager to finally solve the mystery of what lies beyond the immense walls that were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills - an evil the townspeople are still afraid of." 

"It's like as a teenager you're always being held inside all the time with rules and boundaries and you have to go to school," seventh-grader Imani Martin said. "But you want to explore things and (when) you're at this age all you want to do is see what goes on in the outside world." 

Stotts said she hopes the novel inspires students who do not like to read to find a book that interests them. 

"And, hopefully, this will open their minds to different things that are out there," she said. ]]> PUSD may close Mendoza Elementary tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201607 2011-05-08T21:52:00Z 2011-05-24T21:52:26Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com POMONA - It's a nightmare turned real for some districts that are cash-strapped - the closure of a school. 

Faced with a $28 million deficit, Pomona Unified School District board members on Wednesday will consider closing Mendoza Elementary School and moving its students to Lopez Elementary School, one block away. 

Superintendent Richard Martinez said "the consolidation of the two schools seems to be the least painful."  ]]> "To move (to Lopez) in such a quick fashion, I know, is shocking for parents. We know it is very difficult for the staff and the community because the school is 100 years old, and there has been many people who have been there for two or three generations," Martinez said of Mendoza Elementary, which was set to celebrate its centennial next school year. 

"I understand the connection and emotional attachment, and even though the students will be across the street, this was home, this was in some cases everything they've known." 

Mendoza Elementary currently has only prekindergarten to third-grade students, while Lopez has been serving fourth- through sixth-grade students. 

In addition, district officials have discussed relocating students from the Park Avenue High alternative school - on West Second Street - onto Mendoza's campus, pending budget decisions in Sacramento and if the elementary school can be converted to an alternative school site. 

At a community meeting last week, Martinez explained that with the district $28 million short for the next school year, it leaves it with 43 sites to take care of and four to eight sites it cannot afford. 

The district has tough decisions that need to be made in the next 12 to 24 months, and there will be other schools that will be affected, Martinez said at the community meeting. 

He said the district is awaiting word from Sacramento on the amount of funds it will receive. 

"We'll have to anticipate plans of further cuts that we currently haven't anticipated, and we won't be alone with this one." 

At the meeting last week, parents, students and staff members of both elementary schools filled Mendoza's cafeteria in protest of the possible change. 

Parents voiced concerns about the safety and comfort level of their children, as well as opposition to having the at-risk alternative students from Park West move into the Mendoza campus. 

"We're a tight community with parent volunteers, and the staff is caring and compassionate. We're just afraid it is not going to continue to be like that at a bigger school," said Esmeralda Pulido, who has children in both Mendoza and Lopez. 

"But our deepest concern is that the Park West kids are going to come to this school (Mendoza), and that concerns me because they are older. There are drugs and gangs, and our little ones are going to be exposed to that environment, and we're really afraid of that." 

Martinez said he is happy to hear parents are concerned for their children's education and safety, but parents' concerns about alternative school students being bad are not valid. 

"These are students who are behind in credit or have attendance issues, it doesn't necessarily mean they are the one student who got in trouble or is being expelled for some egregious behavior," he said. 

During the community meeting, some parents mentioned the high school students are marijuana smokers, Martinez said. 

"Unfortunately, you can go to any comprehensive school and you're going to find a variety of students who might be abusing drugs, and so it's not just alternative schools that see that," he said. 

"We don't have a gang issue at Park West, we do have gang members that do attend Park West, but we also have gang members who attend our comprehensive high schools. The schools still are considered safe environments where students can attend and learn and they can have lunch and respect the campus as if it's a church." 

Moving Park West students to Mendoza is not a done deal, officials said. 

If the board determines that Mendoza will be used as an alternative school, then Park West would be closed, said Leslie Barnes, PUSD's assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer. 

About 184 students are enrolled at Park West. 

Budget decisions in Sacramento will determine what will happen to a closed Park West campus, Barnes said. 

"If the district is able to keep (adult education) running next year, then they would most likely use the campus since it is adjacent to their facility," she said. "If this is not the case, and the district is able to lease or sell a property that currently houses a district program, then that program would be relocated to the Park West site." 

Also on Wednesday night, board members will announce the new Lopez principal for the fall. 

Parents of Mendoza Elementary at the community meeting were upset to hear they may lose their principal as well as teachers. 

Four Mendoza parents handed Martinez a folder that had more than 400 signatures from parents and community members urging the district to keep Principal Alicia McMullin.

"She is so connected to the students and walks out to make sure kids are safe - rain or shine," said Estela Ortega, Mendoza campus supervisor. 

Barnes said Mendoza teachers will be transferred to Lopez automatically. 

"However, the teachers' bargaining agreement allows the teachers to request a transfer when they wish to leave a site," she said. 

"At this time I do not know the timeline but the only reason the Mendoza teachers would not end up at Lopez is that they put in for a transfer to another site, they left the district, or they are a junior teacher and were part of the district layoff process. Because the two sites do not have duplication in the grade levels, teachers on not competing for positions at Lopez." 

More school closures, reducing adult and career education and parent education classes, as well as other programs could be jeopardized if there are additional cuts to PUSD's budget, Martinez said. 

"My concern is, what is the priority in this state?" he said. "We're selecting to spend money on folks in jail and not on our students who are our future and who we are going to be dependent on as we get older." 

If the board does not approve the school closure Wednesday, Martinez said it will be faced with even more difficult moves and decisions. 

"This is probably the easiest of the difficult roads because the schools are within the same attendance areas ... and it's the feeder parent school to Mendoza kids," he said. 

"This is the easiest. My concern is if they don't do this, it's going to be even more difficult and impossible to make any other moves. I think the board understands the circumstances, and they don't take school closure likely and neither does the staff."]]> ULV College of Law could lose accreditation tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201620 2011-05-06T22:09:01Z 2011-05-24T22:09:44Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com

 Author: Wes Woods II Staff Writer 

ONTARIO - The American Bar Association this week denied the University of La Verne College of Law's application for full accreditation. 

The move by the association's Accreditation Committee also means the college will likely lose its provisional accreditation status. 

Students who graduate from a law school without approval from the Chicago-based association can't take a multi-state bar exam. The students will be able to take the State Bar of California. 
]]> The denial could be overturned by the association's Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. The college will attempt to do so in early June in Salt Lake City, but overturning the decision is considered unlikely, officials said. 

"There's a pretty good chance that we won't get full approval because the odds are stacked against us right now," said Allen K. Easley, the college's dean and professor. 

News of the denial led to more than 150 students on Wednesday packing a classroom at the college. 

"Even looking at this with the most likely and optimistic view of the school is that we're probably going to lose our accreditation in June," said Rachael Alcorn, 24. 

"When I graduate in (May) 2012, I'm only going to have the California bar (and not ABA backing). That's not what I came to this school for." 

College officials said they were waiting to receive a letter early next week from the association that detailed the reasons for the denial. Easley said he did not know exactly why the accreditation was denied. 

Association spokeswoman Anne Nicholas said the accreditation process was confidential and would not provide reasons for the denial. 

"We really don't have anything to say about it," Nicholas said. 

The college has held provisional accreditation status from the association since 2006 and was given five years to meet standards that would allow it to be fully accredited by the association. 

The association deferred a decision in June 2010 on granting full accreditation to the college due to its 34 percent first-time bar passage rate for 2009 graduates. The exam pass rate for the 2009 group rose to 73 percent after students retook the exam. 

The 2010 first-time bar passage rate for graduates at the law school reached 53 percent. 

During Wednesday's meeting, Easley said college officials were discussing the denial with their lawyers. 

Meanwhile, officials said, the university is applying for state bar accreditation to ensure every current student will be able to take the exam after they graduate. 

"We're going to try everything we can to get full approval because that will help everybody," Easley said. "If that doesn't happen, we'll try everything we can get to get the provisional (accreditation) back as quickly as possible." 

Student Ali Kazmi, 25, of Rancho Cucamonga said he was trying to determine what his next move would be. 

"It catches you off guard ... I'm worried about the school's reputation now," Kazmi said. 

Student Andrea Martinez, 29, of Chino said she wanted to stay at the college and would try to organize students to help. 

"It's concerning," Martinez said. "I love being here. It's like a family." 

The college is located in the Ontario Civic Center in downtown. 
]]> Students learn about engineering while battling robots tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201606 2011-05-06T21:50:49Z 2011-05-24T21:51:24Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com POMONA - Months of constructing and programing came to an end Thursday as students battled robots in the fifth annual Robot Rally at Cal Poly Pomona. 

More than 300 students from seven elementary and middle schools in Southern California participated in the event hosted by the university's College College of Engineering. 

Students built and programmed their robots - made from hundreds of Legos pieces - with the intention of forcing their opponent out of a circle in a sumo-style competition.  ]]> "I was super scared," said Melissa Soria, fourth-grader from Barfield Elementary School in Pomona. 

During the competitions, Melissa and her teammate Aja Hernandez cheered on their robot "Baby Beast." 

"I just wanted to help it push the other robot off the table," Melissa said. 

In the months leading to the competition, Cal Poly engineering professors volunteered their time and visited with the students to help assemble the robots. 

Students at Vineyard STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) Magnet School in Ontario were visited about once a week by Cal Poly mechanical engineering professor Mariappan Jawaharlal. 

"I've bee teaching for 13 years, and this is the first time I've seen a university professor work this closely in cooperation with students for a program like this - it's been tremendous," said David Poulos, fifth grade Vineyard instructor. 

"When you say STEM everyone is familiar with what technology and math are, but when they say engineering they don't know what that means. 

"This process of assembling robots, programing and working together as a team really brings the whole idea of what the profession is about." 
]]> Students reflect on the meaning and implications of bin Laden's death tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201605 2011-05-03T21:49:50Z 2011-05-24T21:50:33Z Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Most high schoolers barely knew how to write their name when America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. 

Now as young teens, who are much more aware of attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., there is no doubt they know who Osama bin Laden is. 

While mid-terms, proms and other concerns were perhaps the top items among students' minds across San Bernardino County, many have reflected - even if momentarily - about what bin Laden' death on Sunday means.  ]]> "I know he's the big leader for al-Qaida and the mastermind behind the terrorist attack on (Sept. 11 2011)," said Darryl Brown, Rancho Cucamonga High junior. 

"Osama has always been the bad guy of our generation so now that he's gone there's a bit of relief." 

Taylor Sullivan, 17, a junior at Rancho Cucamonga High School, said she was in the first grade on Sept. 11, 2001 and "didn't know what was going on" 

"I may not fully remember 9/11 but I'm going to fully remember this ... this is history in the making," she said. 

Taylor said conversation in classrooms at Rancho Cucamonga High questioned President Barack Obama, who ordered the killing of bin Laden in Pakistan. 

"Students were saying how the military 'Could have caught him (bin Laden) instead of murder him,' as they put it. And some students were offended by the death, saying President Obama killed bin Laden on purpose and that maybe the wrong thing and that it could cause an uprising and how it's murder." 

As students walked onto the Los Osos High School campus in Rancho Cucamonga on Monday - many still wanting to talk about the Royal Wedding, Celebrity Apprentice or the color of their prom dress - educators took the time to teach students about Sunday's historical moment. 

Victor Marlen, a government and economics teacher for 26 years at Los Osos High, said there was a buzz on campus about bin Laden's death. Marlen said students were worried, fearful and excited when it came to discussing bin Laden. 

"There is this trying to get a feel for this historical event and putting it into perspective," he said. "It's almost as if you have to reteach the whole historical timeline of how we got here and then trying to pull all the pieces together for them - it's just an incredible opportunity to tie everything together for the students." 

At a political science class at San Bernardino Valley College Monday afternoon, more students were worried about the ramifications of Sunday's killing than celebrating. 

Less than five hands out 30 went up when students in adjunct political science professor Ed Nuno's introductory political science class were asked if they felt joy when first learning of bin Laden's death. 

"I hope the president knows what he is getting himself in for," said Amanda Vann, 20, of Rialto. "This is going to effect everyone of us for the worse." 

Vann and other students in the class said they were worried about new terrorist strikes in retaliation. 

Trips to Los Angeles for sporting events, concerts and other events where crowds are drawn are going to have new risks, said Sade Harris, 22, of Corona, who is a psychology student at Valley College. 

While many felt justice had been done for the mass killings of terrorists, they tempered those feelings. 

"It's about justice, not rejoicing about the death of someone," said Sarah Haselton, 18, a freshman at Cal State San Bernardino and a San Bernardino resident.]]> Parents, officials testify about educational impacts of budget cuts tag:www.insidesocal.com,2011:/educationnow//456.201603 2011-04-30T21:48:53Z 2011-05-24T21:49:23Z POMONA - Abigail Medina worries her five children in the San Bernardino City Unified School District will never achieve their dreams of being a pediatrician, teacher or inventor.Testifying in front of a group of state senators and a crowd of... Canan Tasci http://dailybulletin.com POMONA - Abigail Medina worries her five children in the San Bernardino City Unified School District will never achieve their dreams of being a pediatrician, teacher or inventor.

Testifying in front of a group of state senators and a crowd of more than 100 at a Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearing, Medina put a face to the way the lack of state educational funding is affecting children's futures. 

"These cuts to education worry me because I'm in a district that is high in poverty and I'm trying to get the best education for my children...," Medina said.  ]]> "And I don't think the state has made that connection to how real families have to face these real cuts." 

The committee hearing on Friday at Cal Poly Pomona was the first of three to be held around the state. 

Friday's hearing included law enforcement, public schools, colleges and universities, and local government officials in the Inland Empire testifying about how the state budget cuts are impacting them locally. 

"As we struggle to deal with California's worst budget crisis in history, it is critical that we get input from Californians across the state on their priorities for what the state funds," said Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in a news release. 

"My fellow Budget Committee members and I want to better understand how an additional $14 billion in cuts to education, public safety and other basic programs and services - on top of the $11 billion we have already cut - would impact our local economies and children and families in each of our communities." 

In addition to being a mother, Medina, 35, of Highland, serves on the district's Budget Advisory Committee. 

During the hearings she shared the fiscal reality the San Bernardino City Unified could face if it has to slash $25 million from its 2011-12 budget - the district passed out more than 200 preliminary layoff notices in March, summer school may not be available at every high school, it could have five fewer days in the school year, along with increased class sizes in kindergarten through third grade and employee furloughs. 

"If the Legislature chooses the all-cuts budget my children will be in classrooms with more students, reducing the individual attention they would receive from their teachers," Medina said to the senators. 

"And if they need summer school to recover credits, they may not be able to enroll in it and that may impact their ability to graduate high school and long term this could have a detrimental effect on their plans for higher education." 

With a deficit of $15.4 billion and without an extension of temporary taxes, the state's public elementary, middle and high schools face up to $5 billion in additional cuts. 

Moreover, community colleges face $400 million reduction to their 2011-12 school year budget and increase of student fees; and University of California and the 23-campus California State University system face hits of $500 million each to their next-year budgets, with the possibility of increased tuition. 

Cal Poly economics student Jeff Boyle said additional cuts to the university may jeopardize the campus's Disability Resource Center. 

"I know we have already faced a lot of cutbacks in the services we provide," said Boyle, who is also a student assistant in the center. 

"The resources we provide are important for students who have special needs. If they weren't there there would be some students who would not be able to go to college." ]]>