Educational accountability is attracting a lot of political attention — or perhaps lip service — these days in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed two bills touted as bringing more accountability to education. One, Assembly Bill 1505, applies new controls on charter schools that receive public funds but are independently managed...
AP Exclusive: Colleges Got $60M From OxyContin Family
BOSTON — Prestigious universities around the world have accepted at least $60 million over the past five years from the family that owns the maker of OxyContin, even as the company became embroiled in lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic, financial records show. Some of the donations arrived before recent...
Fresno Unified to Voters: How About a $500M Bond Measure?
After hearing about overwhelming support from voters surveyed about a potential $240 million bond measure, Fresno Unified trustees want to see if voters would be willing to double down — even though the district's chief financial officer warned against trying for a $500 million bond measure. Listen to this article:...
US Universities See Decline in Students From China
BURLINGTON, Vt. — After a decade of booming enrollment by students from China, American universities are starting to see steep declines as political tensions between the two countries cut into a major source of tuition revenue. Several universities have reported drops of one-fifth or more this fall in the number...
NCAA Urges Gov. Newsom Not to Sign ‘Fair Pay’ Bill
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Board of Governors wants Gov. Gavin Newsom to reject a new attempt to pay college athletes. And it is prepared to take the fight to court if necessary. In a six-paragraph letter released Wednesday, the board urged Newsom not to sign the legislation known as the...
Report: Clovis, Sanger Districts Among Best at Closing 'Achievement Gap'
Clovis and Sanger unified school districts are among seven in California that are making the most progress in closing the so-called "achievement gap" for students of color and those in poverty, according to a new report released Tuesday in Sacramento. The Learning Policy Institute, a research nonprofit that aims to...
Survey Says: Huge Support for Central Unified's Potential $120 Million Bond Measure
It looks like Central Unified School District voters would be willing to hike their own property taxes if it means improving the quality of their Fresno-area schools, including replacing portable classrooms with permanent buildings and renovating school libraries. A survey last month of 404 voters showed that 69% would be...
Feds Blast Juul Over Claims E-Cigs Safer Than Smoking
WASHINGTON — Federal health authorities on Monday blasted vaping company Juul for illegally pitching its electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative to smoking and ordered the company to stop making unproven claims for its products. The Food and Drug Administration also upped its scrutiny of a number of key aspects...
Military Base Cuts Affect Schools, Target Ranges, More
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will cut funding from military projects like schools, target ranges and maintenance facilities to pay for the construction of 175 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, diverting a total $3.6 billion to President Donald Trump's long-promised barrier. Projects in 23 states, 19 countries and three...
California Assembly OKs Medical Cannabis on K-12 Campuses
SACRAMENTO — California schools may soon allow parents to administer medical marijuana to their children on K-12 campuses. The California Assembly approved a bill Monday that lets school boards decide whether parents can administer medical marijuana on school campuses. It would allow the use of marijuana in non-smoking form. Current...