California School Districts have a racially and ethnically diverse population; more so than in any other state and the numbers of immigrants keeps growing. This diversity is reflected in California schools. Many of the California schools have large student populations that originate from linguistic minorities, or from families that are still in the process of learning English. This fact has led to California schools being high on the national list of schools with limited fluency in the English language. Add cultural and social differences to the linguistic problem, and it isn’t surprising to find that California schools are beginning to slide down the scale.

School Rankings and California Schools

The entire premise of the No Child Left Behind program aims to allow each child the chance at a high quality education. This is admirable, but it doesn’t take into account the fact that not all the children in the country are the same. This is especially true in California schools with their huge ethnic and linguistic minority students. Expecting children of varied cultures, and across all linguistic divides, to perform equally well on a standardized test can be a futile exercise. A standardized test doesn’t take into account the vast differences in cultures, family backgrounds, abilities and experiences of children in the California Schools. That’s why it’s doomed to fail as a measure of a student’s or child’s standing in the educational system.

Promoting California Schools: Walk the Walk

When it comes to the state of California schools, politicians are more than eager to mouth platitudes that sound great on paper but fizzle when it comes to putting them to action. One particular requirement of No Child Left Behind is mandatory testing of at least 95 per cent of students in a school. This requirement means little in California schools, where parents have the right to refuse to allow their children to be tested. What this trickles down to, in effect, is that even good quality schools might not find the required number of students to test, which means a black mark and a possible slide down the public school rankings for a perfectly good institution. Another provision of the program allows students to leave schools that fail any one the program’s requirements. This sounds great in theory until you realize that it is the California school district that has to foot the bill to transfer these students to other schools, adding to the congestion problem in already overcrowded schools. When it comes to implementing the No Child Left Behind program, California schools are finding more stumbling blocks than in other states.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit California School Districts

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His acting career took off with the successful Conan the Barbarian with Schwarzenegger in the lead and chosen specifically for his perfect physique. In 1997, he was proclaimed the greatest bodybuilder of the 20th century, and the Guiness Book of World Records named him “the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world”.

Among his many business ventures, Schwarzenegger owns World Gym Enterprises and All Star Fitness Products, and is co-responsible for the Arnold Classic Pro Bodybuilding and Fitness shows. Additionally, he headed the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for former President Bush.

Is it any wonder that, as governor for the state of California, Schwarzenegger wants California schools’ students to exercise more, eat better, and be more physically fit. To that end, he has issued a challenge to all California schools’ students in order promote an increased level of physical activity.

He wants all kindergarten through 12th grade California schools’ students to run, jump and squat for 30-to-60 minutes a day, at least three times a week for the next four weeks. The incentive — the school with the highest percentage of participation at the end of the four-week challenge wins a new fitness center/gymnasium. The next eleven school runner-ups will each receive $1,000 with which to purchase fitness equipment.

Schwarzenegger’s promotion of healthy California schools’ students doesn’t end there. Two bills have been introduced to improve school nutrition, effective July 2007. One bill requires all foods sold in California schools’ vending machines to meet high nutritional standards, regulating the number of calories for both fat and sugar. The second bill limits the type of drinks sold at California schools to water, milk, and some fruit and sport drinks that are low in sweeteners.

Not only is Schwarzenegger big on physical fitness and its benefits to California schools’ children, who are among the nation’s growing obese statistics, but a statewide review on physical fitness within the California schools was released last November 2006. The findings were atrocious.

The study found that nearly half of the California school’s ninth graders could not briskly run one mile. Almost 1.4 million California school’s students were tested in fifth, seventh and ninth grades. Less than a third met all minimum benchmarks for body fat, abdominal strength, and flexibility.

Governor Schwarzenegger is doing what it takes to help California schools’ students become and stay physically fit. If children do not do it while in school, it can affect their entire adult life with obese-related illnesses and health problems.

Parents, teachers and California schools interested in participating can register online and track their schools’ progress against other California schools at: www.calgovcouncil.org.

Patricia Hawke is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations and education for relocating families. For more information please California Schools

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The First 5 Initiative of California Schools focused on early care and education, parenting and support services, health and social services, school readiness for children/school capacity, and program infrastructure, administration and evaluation. Ending in 2006, this initiative completed its purpose and was followed by other California School readiness initiatives. California Schools are invested in the idea that preschools have tremendous influence and power.

The First 5 Initiative Of California Schools has formulated a task force that also branches into other areas of student help. California Schools have earned an A on their childhood obesity report cards, owing in part to the California First 5 obesity prevention campaign. The group constructed ads targeting parents and warning of the dangers accompanying obesity. Physical education programs have become more prominent in California Schools in keeping with the struggle against obesity, particularly in young children. First 5 California is attempting to stop the obesity trend in California Schools through student, parent and community awareness.

In the hopes that children of migrant workers might receive equally well-grounded educations in California Schools, the California First 5 has undertaken the challenge of funding the California First 5 Children of Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers project, which has targeted 3 and 4 year old children since its inception in 2003. This program helps struggling families in California Schools receive educational childcare, enroll more students, find transportation and improve test scores.

In October 2005, California First 5 found that a serious percentage of students entering kindergarten lack the necessary skills to succeed in California Schools. In an effort to allow children the chance to begin on equal footing in grade school, the California First 5 has acknowledged that all previous student preparation is simply the groundwork of what must eventually be achieved. California Schools’ children who participate in early childhood programs are more successful than those children that don’t. Therefore, the California First 5 has doubled their dedication and hopes to alert more parents to the seriousness of childhood education. California First 5 encourages parents to read regularly to their children and be aware of the benefits of preschool.

California Schools recognize the geographic sprawl of their state. In order to unify and aid incoming students, progress must be made in the partnership between parents and the school systems. California First 5 works to comprehensively alert parents and makes efforts to keep them aware of urgent trends, such as the youth obesity crisis in America. As shown in the results of past initiatives, California Schools have succeeded in their agendas primarily due to parent involvement and the success of upcoming programs will continue to depend upon parental participation.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools.

For more information please visit California Schools

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Singer Bonnie Raitt said, “It’s a shame we are depriving so many California children of the benefits of music in schools.” She stated that every child deserves the chance to develop their fullest with a well-rounded education, including the arts.

To that end, the California Arts Council spearheaded the California Music Project (CMP), a 401(c)(3) nonprofit, long-term initiative. The California schools, music industry executives, and the council will work together through the CMP to bring much needed revenues and music programs back into the California schools. The goals of the CMP are to:

• Provide grant funding to music teachers, music professionals, and the California schools to bring more music leaning to students;

• Develop joint ventures with universities, businesses, foundations and music-focused organizations to fund, pilot and expand music programs within the California schools; and

• Serve as an advocate to both the public and private sectors to further music as a core discipline, so that every California schools students has equal access.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed and approved a state budget with the California schools slated to receive an estimated $105 million in ongoing funding for arts education. That is an estimated $17-18 per student. Included is a one-time allocation of $500 million for arts, music and physical education equipment. Yet, it will not be enough to reverse the tremendous, almost ten-year decline of music education within the California schools. The California schools remain underfunded and understaffed in music education.

The CMP plans to heighten awareness and raise funds through all-star music CDs with top California performers, special events, and concerts around the state.

The first CD is scheduled for release in late October. Artists, publishers and labels donate all the songs and performances, with proceeds going to the CMP. It features a variety of genres from 18 California singers, musicians and bands. Included are: Los Lobos, Leela James, Beck, Dwight Yoakam, Warrne Zevon, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others.

The artists are very passionate about their work and want to see California schools students get some of the same attention they received while growing up around music. Working with the CMP, the artists may get their wish.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information on California schools visit California Schools

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The article cited a situation of one California schools child with a disability. The assigned public middle school offered special college prep classes, daily help from a special education expert, a laptop computer, extra time for tests, the opportunity to temporarily leave class if the child’s had an anxiety attack, and a special advocate to smooth over any problems with teachers.

The parents hired a special consultant instead, who found alternative schooling opportunities — all were private schools and all were out-of-state. They settled on a boarding school in Maine, outside the main city, that had one-tenth of the enrollment of the California schools. The one thing this school did not offer was a special education program. The mother said that smaller classrooms and a smaller campus were more important than a special education program. Since the possibility of anxiety attacks was mentioned in the article, no one can truly judge the merit of this situation except the child’s physician and/or psychologist.

After the child was placed into the private school, the parents then hired an attorney, who specializes in special education cases, to file papers with the court demanding the California schools pay four years of tuition and family travel costs between California and Maine. Tuition was $30,000 annually. The California schools met the demands.

This is only one such case in the California schools, which may or may not have been justified. The problem is that it is not the only case. In 2005, there were 3,763 California schools children with disabilities that were the focus of formal complaints — the vast majority of which came from parents. This is triple the number of only ten years ago, and the numbers are growing.

With a cost of almost $40,000 to go to a court hearing and the possibility of an expensive judgment, the California schools attempt to settle cases before they get that far. In 2005, ten percent of the California schools’ cases went to a full hearing — 386 in all. The remaining 90 percent were resolved through confidential settlements. With 700,000 special needs students currently in the California schools and already paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for private placements, the school system is headed for a financial crisis.

In 2004, the California schools received $4.1 billion for special education from the government and local sources. It was still not enough to pay these extra settlement costs, and the California schools had to take $1.6 billion from the regular class budget. Twenty-eight percent of the special education expenditures that year came from the regular education budget.

California schools educators complain that parents who are able to afford an attorney are assured more opportunities for their children than those who cannot afford to do so, creating an inequity between the haves and have-nots. Additionally, special education teachers see benefits to special programs, such as horseback riding therapy, but acknowledge that such parent demands are not education related. California schools parents and educators are at odds.

Parents are making tuition payment demands of the California schools for such programs as private day schools, boarding schools, summer camps, horseback riding therapy, and aqua therapy. Additionally, the California schools are expected to pay for computers, airfare, car rental, hotel stays, meals, new clothing and tailoring for the children, cell phone calls, stamps, gas and tolls, and future round-trip visits from time of enrollment until the children graduate from high school.

In all, the California schools are paying billions of dollars each year for private placements and auxiliary costs. It is creating an inequity for children the civil rights law was passed to protect and a financial crisis for the California schools.

I have to admit that I wanted every opportunity possible for my child to live a happy and normal adult life. I had a special needs child and spent many hours sitting in principals’ offices and at the school board demanding that his needs be met. I was thankful that he received access to the available offerings within the public school system.

In my view, however, it is not a question of right or wrong, justified expenditure or not. It is a question of the legislators going back and specifically defining the word “appropriate”. Until then, the California schools are borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, which means less opportunities all the way around.

This information on California schools is brought to you by http://www.schoolsk-12.com

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more on California schools visit California Schools.

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