Teaching the Teachers
With the teacher shortage at crisis levels, education leaders are trying something new — intensive coaching while training on the job
Statewide, the number of people getting into teaching via a county office of education or school district internship doubled in the last five years.
While Needy School Districts Get More Money, Poor Students in Affluent Districts Suffer
California's 5-year-old school finance overhaul is working for disadvantaged students, but a study still finds that poor students aren't being helped in better-off districts
The study’s findings come amid pressure from lawmakers and advocates who have been concerned that the new system isn’t effectively channeling the extra state money to students, and that more progress hasn’t been made on the achievement gap.
Pathway to the Future
Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brian King on new opportunities — and new funding
Comstock’s recently spoke with King (who is also a member of our editorial advisory board) about challenges faced by community college students and how Los Rios can help train the workforce of the future.
Preschool Teachers Ask Why ‘Cashiers at McDonalds’ Get Better Pay
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ambitious plans to improve California’s early childhood education, but experts say he’s forgetting a key group: preschool teacher salaries.
Teacher Credentials Come in for Tough Grading as CA Rethinks Charter School Rules
Proponents of a loophole that lets charter schools skip routine credentialing of teachers required in public schools say it encourages enrichment. But lawmakers are scrutinizing it and the loophole could soon be closed.
Should College Athletes Profit From Their Prowess?
The NCAA says no, but California may say yes
Hayley Hodson’s volleyball career took off when she was still in high school, with an invitation to compete on the U.S. Women’s National Team. As she traveled the world winning medals, the Newport Beach student took care not to run afoul of NCAA eligibility rules barring prospective college athletes from accepting financial compensation, her sights still set on playing for a top school.
Trained in the Trades
Area companies and educators are developing much-needed middle-skill workers, but will low wages make it impossible to fill the void?
Industries around the Capital Region are feeling the pinch of trying to find qualified, skilled workers needed to fill various positions. Some companies are starting to reach out to trade programs to help fill those gaps.
Startup of the Month: IndiPUB
Self-publishing with a twist
The first book Amy Altstatt wrote was about a little girl in a world in which color represents what one wants to be when grown up. The girl tries different colors to see which one suits her, but none feels right. Then she cries, and, in her rainbow tears, she realizes all the colors are part of her.
Learning the Right Notes
Blues in the Schools gives budding Sacramento musicians real-world experience
Seeking a much-needed youth infusion, the Sacramento Blues Society looks to local schools for inspiration. The group’s 15-year-old Blues in the Schools program helps keep an aging local blues scene alive with a youthful and passionate presence, assisting young artists while they gain a foothold in the industry.
How For-profit College Bills Could Affect California
Jeanny Morris had a 1-year-old baby and a resume of dead-end retail jobs when she enrolled in the Marinello Schools of Beauty cosmetology program in 2012. She used her welfare benefits to pay for transportation to and from school where, she says, staff pressured her to take out student loans to pay for supplies they had previously promised to provide, such as books, drapes and combs.