On-line Test Prep
California Learning Resource Network, February 2010

Are your students prepared for testing? Could they use some help?  Need to know
where to go to find resources that you can share with your students?
The California Learning Resource Network has anticipated those
needs and has put together a sampling of free Internet sites that can
provide skill-building practice to assist your students in meeting their
academic goals.

Free instructional videos from Verizon Thinkfinity
K12HSN News, Friday, February 5th, 2010

Want to learn more about Verizon Thinkfinity's free online resources  from a variety of educational partners but only have 5 minutes to spare? NO PROBLEM!  The Verizon Thinkfinity Professional Development team has developed a handful of short training videos! How about watching "Searching for Thinkfinity's Resources" to open the door to a wealth of anytime/anywhere standards-based lessons? No login or registration is required, so check them out now! Be sure to bookmark the page and check back often for new videos!

State targets achievement gap 
KPBS.org, February 4, 2010

State Schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell visited San Diego High School today to unveil a new set of tools that he says will help California close its persistent achievement gap.The tools come in the form of two surveys and a workbook for each school district in the state. Can these tools really make a difference?

Digital tools expand options for personalized learning  
EdWeek.com, February 3, 2010

Digital tools for defining and targeting students' strengths and weaknesses could help build a kind of individualized education plan for every student. New applications for defining and targeting students’ academic strengths and weaknesses can help teachers create a personal playlist of lessons, tools, and activities that deliver content in ways that align with individual needs and optimal learning methods.

Recession takes toll on California schools according to a recent report from UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access.
California WatchBlog,  February 2, 2010

California currently leads the nation in unemployment and mortgage foreclosures. The loss of tax revenue has forced schools to cut back on spending, programs and personnel. A recent study from UCLA's Institute for Democracy Education and Access called "Educational Opportunities in Hard Times" surveyed 87 school principals to assess how funding issues are impacting schools on a daily basis. The responses weren't pretty.

New school focuses on the individual
San Diego Union Tribune, November 19, 2009

The school wants to show students that it takes their educations seriously and wants to help them clear the obstacles are keeping them from earning a diploma. The setup is proving to be appealing. Three months after opening its doors, the independent study, K-12 school is within sight of its enrollment goal of 200 students for the year.


Enrichment classes a trademark of Pacific Coast Charter School in Watsonville
Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 11, 2009

The school's teachers, students and parents meet frequently to develop a personalized learning plan adapted to each student's interests and needs. While students complete their schoolwork at home with regular check-ins, pupils are also given the opportunity to attend on-site classes.

AASA hears what's about to disrupt schools
eSchool News, February 23, 2009

If Harvard Business School's Clayton Christensen is right, half of all instruction will take place online within the next 10 years--and schools had better get into the online-learning market or risk losing their students to other providers. Christensen was at the American Association of School Administrators conference in San Francisco Feb. 19 to discuss his book Disrupting Class, which looks at why schools have struggled to improve through the lens of "disruptive innovation."

Classical Academy wins state recognition award (no link)
The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 1, 2009

Escondido’s Classical Academy has received and Exemplary Independent Study Recognition Award from the state Department of Education.

Tamiscal High School in Larkspur wins state recognition
ContraCostaTimes.com, October 23, 2009

Each Tamiscal student meets with a supervising teacher for about an hour a week to receive assignments and discuss topics in English and social studies. Students attend math classes for five or six hours a week and spend two hours in science classes and labs. The rest of the time, they're on their own.

School cited as one of top three independent studies programs
Orange County Register, October 20, 2009

La Entrada High School was honored today as one of three shining examples of independent study programs in California for its academic strengths and the flexible, personal service it provides a highly mobile student population.
 

California Recognizes Three Schools for Exemplary Independent Study Programs
Imperial Valley News, October 20,  2009

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated three California public schools selected by a joint project of the California Consortium for Independent Study and the California Department of Education to receive the Exemplary Independent Study Recognition Award (EISRA).
 

Enrollment in independent study high schools surges
The Sacramento Bee, June 24, 2009

Enrollment in California's "independent study" high schools has surged by 44 percent in the last eight years, a new study by WestEd, a San Francisco-based educational research organization, has found.
 

Tapping parent power
The San Diego Union Tribune, January 13, 2007

It's hard to put a price on parents' involvement in their children's education, but one charter school's partnership with parents has earned it a $250,000 state grant so it can share the secrets of its success with other schools.