Douglas Morino: June 2010 Archives

(Photo courtesy of Cal State Los Angeles)

Alexandria Huynh - at 17 the youngest graduating senior ever in the class of 2010 at California State University, Los Angeles - is heading to Harvard University this fall to pursue a doctorate in immunology.

Admitted to Harvard Medical School with full funding and an additional stipend, the Torrance girl also was accepted to doctoral programs at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Huynh was a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at Cal State L.A. Recipient of the Kinecta Federal Credit Union Scholarship, she was recently named the winner of Cal State L.A.'s Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Senior Award and presented the Early Entrance Program Graduate of the Year scholarship. In addition, she has volunteered at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. When time allows, she also enjoys figure skating and playing the piano.

Huynh was admitted to Cal State L.A. at the age of 13.

According to officials from Cal State L.A., the university's youngest graduate ever is Cynthia Martel, who graduated with bachelor's degrees in biology and biochemistry at the age of 14 in 1990.

A bill proposed by state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palos Alto) would require that students entering kindergraten turn five by Sept. 1 of their first school year. The new bill, which lawmakers say would save California nearly $700 million annually, would be phased in over three years starting in 2012.

Currently, any child who turns five before Dec. 2 can enter kindergarten.

The bill, SB 1381, has been passed by the senate and will now move on to the state assembly. It has been opposed by the California Teacherrs Association, and teachers have voiced concerns about how the potential savings would be spent.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

As currently written, the bill would require half the money saved by the state to be spent on preschool programs to serve disadvantaged children. Simitian would use the other half to help cover state budget shortfalls.

Some teachers said they want to see the money saved put into funding K-12 programs to make up for income lost to schools based on the lower enrollment.

But the measure's supporters say the gradual implementation of the law would help ease budget concerns and allow the state and schools to plan for the change.

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Almost every other state in the country requires a September birthday cutoff, perhaps giving them a competitive academic edge. Simitian's bill would put California in line with those states eventually. His bill would phase in over three years, moving the eligibility date up a month each fall starting in 2012, until it becomes Sept. 1.

Many parents already voluntarily keep their children with summer or fall birthdays out of kindergarten for a year. It's more often a choice made by families with the financial resources to cover child care or preschool for the extra year.

On the other hand, low-income families - those whose children are more likely to struggle in school and on standardized tests - often can't afford the extra year of child care and aren't allowed to stay in public preschool programs.

The federal Head Start program, for example, pushes students into kindergarten when they are old enough, whether they are academically or developmentally ready to go.

CSU trustees will meet in Long Beach next Friday to discuss raising student fees an additional 10 percent.

From the Associated Press:

California State University is proposing another round of student fee increases this fall as the 23-campus system grapples with deep cuts in state funding, officials said Wednesday.

CSU Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting in Long Beach on June 18 to vote on raising fees by 5 percent for undergraduate, graduate and teacher credential students, and 10 percent for education doctorate students.

Under the proposal, fees would increase $204 to $4,230 a year for resident undergraduates, go up $234 to $4,908 for teacher credential students and increase $252 to $5,214 for graduate students, said CSU spokesman Michael Uhlenkamp.

The board also will vote on eliminating the cap on nonresident tuition, so out-of-state students would pay about $16,000 for a full course load of 30 units, up from $11,160 now, he said.

"We're facing an unprecedented budget crisis," Uhlenkamp said, adding that the board could revisit the fee issue in November if the CSU system does not receive as much state funding university officials anticipate.

Still, the proposed 5 percent fee increase is less than the 10 percent hike that many had expected, said Miles Nevin, executive director of the California State Student Association.

"I think this is palatable for our students," he said. "I think it's reasonable considering the climate."

As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Legislature seek to close a $20 billion state budget deficit, CSU students are encouraged that the governor and the Assembly have both proposed restoring $366 million in funding to the CSU system, Nevin said.

Over the past two years, the CSU and 10-campus University of California systems have reduced enrollment, furloughed faculty and cut course sections in response to steep reductions in state funding. Both systems have raised undergraduate fees by more than 30 percent over the past year.

President Obama delivered the commencement address this evening during graduation ceremonies at Kalamazoo Central High School, winner of the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge.

Lawndale's Environmental Charter High School was among six finalists in the competition, aimed at rewarding schools and students embracing efforts to reform public education.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis will speak later this month at the school's graduation ceremonies.

Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of education, wrote an Op-Ed lauding the local charter school for its efforts to actively engage students in their own education, prepare them for college and inspire them to volunteer in their local community. Duncan's Op-Ed appeared exclusively in today's Daily Breeze.

You can read more about Environmental Charter and Obama's Race to the Top Commencement Challenge here, here and here.

California education officials submitted an application Tuesday to compete in "Phase 2" of Obama's Race to the Top initiative. It is the second application the state has submitted and up to $700 million in federal funding could be allocated for California's financially beleaguered public school system If the application is approved.

Under the initiative, states would receive funding if they implemented reforms laid out by the Obama Administration. So far, only Delaware and Tennessee have had their applications approved.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was joined by Jack O'Connell, the state superintendent of public instruction, and Ted Mitchell, president of the state school board, at a signing ceremony earlier today in Long Beach.

"With the assistance of a team of exceptional district leaders, our application details how we will make changes to ensure there is an effective teacher in every classroom and strong leader in every school, and that these educators are provided with consistent, high-quality support so that every student is prepared for success in college or career," O'Connell said.

California's application was overseen by officials from the Clovis, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Sanger, and San Francisco unified school districts.

Here's the press release from the U.S. Department of Education:

The second phase of the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition drew applications from 35 states and the District of Columbia seeking to win a share of $3.4 billion provided by Congress to drive education reform.  Between the current phase and the first phase, which drew 41 applications, 47 states have applied to this program.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan commended all of the states that applied saying, "This took a lot of hard work and political courage.  It required administrators, elected officials, union leaders, teachers, and advocates to work together and embrace a common reform agenda.  Every state that applied now has a blueprint for raising educational quality across America."
 
      Designed to incentivize excellence, drive reform, and promote the adoption and use of effective policies and practices, the Race to the Top program is backed by $4.35 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.  Of that money, the Department set aside $350 million for a separate competition to improve the quality of assessments and awarded approximately $600 million to Phase 1 winners Delaware and Tennessee, leaving $3.4 billion for Phase 2.
 
      The Department will select the Phase 2 winners over the summer using the same process as Phase 1.  In the panel review stage, five expert reviewers will read and discuss each application.  They will then score and comment on each application independently, and the applicant will be given a score based on the average of the five scores.
 
      The Department will look for a natural break in the scores to identify finalists and invite them to D.C. to make in-person presentations to their review panels.  Each reviewer will then submit final scores, and the Secretary will select awardees.  Depending on the size of the winning states, 10-15 states could win Race to the Top grants.  The administration will announce the winners before the end of September when the money must be legally obligated. 
 
      The Department of Education received the following applications prior to today's 4:30 deadline:
 
•     Alabama
•     Arizona
•     Arkansas
•     California
•     Colorado
•     Connecticut
•     District of Columbia
•     Florida
•     Georgia
•     Hawaii
•     Illinois
•     Iowa
•     Kentucky
•     Louisiana
•     Maine
•     Maryland
•     Massachusetts
•     Michigan
•     Mississippi
•     Missouri
•     Montana
•     Nebraska
•     Nevada
•     New Hampshire
•     New Jersey
•     New Mexico
•     New York
•     North Carolina
•     Ohio
•     Oklahoma
•     Pennsylvania
•     Rhode Island
•     South Carolina
•     Utah
•     Washington
•     Wisconsin