Knowledge isn't Free

This article, embedded in the title, talks about the upcoming application deadline for a federal educational grant program called "Race to the Top." This program offers money to states' educational system for innovative teaching and more rigid test standards. Although this could potentially bring in as much as $700 million to some states' educational budget, many districts in California as well as Florida have declined the money because of the federal guidelines. One of the major issues in the federal guidelines is a teacher evaluation program in which a teacher may be fired if he or she is not teaching at certain standards.

In regards to California education, I believe some of this money could be useful to our education. With teacher and program cuts in our district some money could be beneficial instead of taking more of our parents' money via the Fair Share program. However, I would find it hard to be able to just take the money and let many good teachers be fired just because their students can not uphold certain standards that the teacher would then be held responsible for. I'm not really arguing for an "Educational Bailout", but some money for the states' educational programs would be much appreciated. Maybe we should create a better program since many states are having issues with this one.

Freshmen Fiasco

So those of you who are sick of hearing about politics I decided to post something that would all be related to us right now. As you all know it is incredibly hard to get into the UC system. Well it only gets worse:
Regents voted to limit enrollment next fall to help cope with an ongoing budget crisis plaguing both UC and the state. The regents, meeting through a teleconference, also agreed to freeze salaries of 285 top administrators and senior managers. UC already has about 11,000 students for whom it gets no state funding - creating a $122 million shortfall. Cutting freshmen admissions would save $20 million. curtailed enrollment meant that about 150 black students might not get in, he noted that community college transfers next fall would increase by 500 systemwide - to a total of 13,223 - producing a better racial, ethnic and class mix. There will be 2,300 fewer freshmen this year enrolled in the UC schools in fall 2009. one third of these students in the UC system are going to be made up of community college transfers. It looks like we all will have to be working as hard as ever senior year to make the cuts. It seems like they are encouraging students to go the community college route anyway which may not only save money for the school but for students' families as well. A wise desicion?