The Los Angeles Times (8/26, Blume) reports that California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson "formally aligned with officials in other states" by seeking "immediate relief from federal guidelines that, if unaltered, would label nearly 80% of schools serving large numbers of low-income students as failing." Moreover, "Torlakson wants a freeze on Race to the Top requirements to allow the state to focus on its neediest schools and on developing 'a more robust teacher and principal evaluation system.'" The piece notes that Torlakson has taken the singular step of objecting to having any conditions attached to such a waiver, but Education Secretary Arne Duncan spokesman Justin Hamilton "suggested that Torlakson may be overreaching."
The San Jose Mercury News (8/26, Lambert) reports that California education officials report that Torlakson wrote to Duncan asking for a waiver, quoting him, "Relief is needed immediately before more schools suffer for another school year under inappropriate labels and ineffective intervention." The Mercury News notes that Torlakson claims that such requirements as making states "demonstrate they are invoking reform that includes adopting college- and career-ready standards, using and developing teacher data that incorporates student test scores and developing a new accountability system...'present problems for California' and says the state is 'working hard to develop' an accountability system."
KPBS-TV San Diego, CA (8/26, Calvert) reports that in his letter, Torlakson said that the restrictions placed on failing schools' use of Federal funding under the current system are "too onerous in California's current economic climate." KHTS-FM El Cajon, CA (8/26), the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (8/26, Benefield), and the Bakersfield Californian (8/26, Mayer) also cover this story.
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