PICO California News

New law compels school districts to disclose school spending

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 09:00:00 -0700

Oakland - In Law uncloaks school-spending mystery, Jill Tucker reports that "when Gerry was an eighth-grader at Oakland's Havenscourt Middle School in 2003, the state spent $55,000 on his teachers — $27,000 less than what Californians spent on the teachers for an eighth-grade girl in Pleasanton that year." SB 687 now compels school district to disclose these inequities. Jill Tucker, The Oakland Tribune, 9/29/05 (pdf archive).

San Jose - "State needs drive to demistify reports and make sure they're easily accessible" states the San Jose Mercury News editorial, School report cards hard to find and use. The Mercury News editorial goes on to say that "as a result of SB 687, which Gov. Schwarzenegger signed into law this week, schools will also have to include their average teacher pay -- a telling piece of information. Randy Myers, The Contra Costa Times, 9/29/05 (pdf archive).

Press Release: New Law Shines a Light on School Funding Inequities

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 15:00:00 -0700

Governor Schwarzenegger signs into law legislation to disclose gaps in teacher salaries

(Sacramento, CA) - Parents and community leaders can now obtain information about how much their schools spend on one of their most critical resources: teachers. On Wednesday, September 28, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law SB 687 (Simitian), requiring that schools disclose the average amount spent on teacher salaries. Until now, schools have only been required to report district averages, masking significant inequities between schools within a single district.

Click on link to see the rest of our press release. PICO California, 9/12/05. (pdf archive)

North San Diego County leaders urge support for 'Healthy Kids' bills

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 19:33:53 -0700

Escondido-Congregations for Civic Action, the North San Diego PICO California affiliate, organized North County health and religious leaders Tuesday to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to support AB 772 and AB 1199. These two bills that are sitting on his desk would expand health care coverage for all children across the state, regardless of their economic status or citizenship. Gig Conaughton of the North County Times covered this story in North County leaders urge support for 'Healthy Kids' bills and you can see the full story by clicking on the link. (pdf archive)

Governor signs SB 687 - School inequity accountability bill

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 19:32:56 -0700

Sacramento - Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 687 (Simitian), an education bill that will mandate that districts report school funding by schools within a district and compare that to the district average. This type of accountability will surely bring light on inequities in funding within school districts. This bill was co-sponsored by PICO California, Public Advocates, Ed Trust West, and EdVoice. (Sen. Simitian's press release) (Gov. Schwarzenegger's press release)

Take action contact the Governor

fernando@picocalifornia.org — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 16:48:43 -0700

Kids' health bills remain on the Governor's desk unsigned. AB 772 and AB 1199 would help ensure that every child in California has access to affordable health care. California families need this peace of mind. Please help by contacting the Governor in support of these two bills.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

To email: www.govmail.ca.gov

To fax online: http://ga3.org/campaign/healthykids

To call: (916) 445-4633, then dial ext 271 to register your vote for AB 772

Children join efforts to urge the Governor to sign health bills

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700
Southeast Glendale - With red, green, yellow and blue paint on their hands, children stamped their prints all over a banner asking Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign Assembly Bill 772 and Assembly Bill 1199 on Oct. 9. In Frommer's clean bill of health, reporter Tania Chatila details how Los Angeles County would benefit. Tania Chatilla, the Glendale News Press, 9/23/05. (pdf archive)

An immigration story as told by Panchita

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700
Fallbrook - Panchita Acevedo, PICO leader with Congregations for Civic Action and storyteller, recalls her life as a Mexican immigrant. In Fallbrook woman tells her immigration story, North County Times reporter Adrienne A. Aguirre repeats the stories that Mrs. Acevedo delivered during Hispanic Heritage Month. From a small municipal indian village in Zacatecas, Mexico to her life as a farmworker and social worker, this story gives a glimpse into Panchita's life as immigrant and as a woman. Adrienne A. Aguirre, North County Times, 9/21/05 (pdf archive).

Teens help strengthen their communities

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700
Martinez - The Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization is working with youth leaders to improve their communities.
"Even though Nancy Marquez, 19, of Oakley, German Medina of Pittsburg and Christina Chong of Hercules earn about $10 an hour, their biggest pay day arrives later, when they usher in changes -- some big, some small -- in their neighborhoods," states Contra Costa Times reporter Randy Myers in Teens help strengthen their communities. Working with representatives from middle and high schools, youth organizers have won funds for school improvements, a skate park and have worked to affect policy that affects youth.
Read this story to see how our youth are making a difference now. Randy Myers, The Contra Costa Times, 9/20/05 (pdf archive).

Coalition Urges Governor to Sign Bill to Tackle Inequity in School Funding

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 18:05:27 -0700

Sacramento - Today education advocates urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign SB 687 (Simitian) to provide parents and community members with information about one of the most critical resources at their school: teachers. Current state law only requires school spending on teachers to be reported at the district level. This allows huge inequities between schools within a single district to be concealed in the district average. SB 687, which received support from Superintendent Jack O’Connell and bipartisan support in the legislature, amends the school accountability report card to ensure that actual school site expenditures are disclosed to the public and available to local decision makers.
An Education Trust-West report released earlier this year revealed that in 42 of the 50 largest districts in California, the schools serving the most African American and Latino students, spend, on average, an estimated $3,014 less per teacher. This disparity is critical, since the most powerful variable driving student performance in schools serving disadvantaged students is teacher quality. A follow up study being released this week reveals some school level spending gaps are approaching $2 million per school. SB 687 would make this information available for every school in the state. PICO California, 9/12/05. (pdf archive)

San Jose Mercury supports kids' health bills

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700
San Jose - "If California voters could see the proven benefits of Santa Clara County's Healthy Kids insurance program, they would be demanding that the state pass Assemblywoman Wilma Chan's bill to implement it statewide," begins the San Jose Mercury editorial, Prescription for healthy kids: AB 772. The Santa Clara Family Health Plan that offers affordable health care coverage for every child that was initiated by People Acting in Community Together and Working Partnerships USA now covers 14,000 children. Only 3% of the counties children are uninsured as opposed to the 10% state average. The San Jose Mercury supports AB 772 and AB 1199, the children's health care bills. The San Jose Mercury News, 9/1/05. (pdf archive)

Bay Area leaders urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign kids' bills

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 04:43:57 -0700
Oakland - The PICO California Project, Assemblywoman Wilma Chan, Assemblyman Mark Leno and other Bay Area leaders joined together today at a press conference urging Governor Schwarzenegger to pass two key bills that would begin to establish health coverage for all children in California. The two health care bills, AB 772 (Chan/Frommer/Escutia) and AB 1199 (Frommer/Chan) have both passed their final Legislative votes and now await the Governor’s signature.
Assemblywoman Chan and Assemblyman Reno were joined today by local families, representatives from the six PICO Bay Area Chapters - Oakland Community Organizations (OCO), Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action (BOCA), Congregations Organizing for Renewal (COR), Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO), San Francisco Organizing Project (SFOP) and Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA), the 100% Campaign and the Community Clinic Consortium. PICO California, Sacramento, 9/15/05. (pdf archive)

Governor urged to sign kids' health bill

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700
Oakland - By signing AB 772 and AB 1199 Governor Schwarzenegger can move us closer to ensuring affordable health care coverage for every child in California. On Thursday, Sept. 15th PICO and 100 Percent Campaign leaders from the bay area joined Assembly Members Wilma Chan and Mark Leno to urge the Governor to sign these bills. In Governor urged to sign children's health care bills (The Fremont Argus) and Rally pushes Arnold on kids' health bills (The Oakland Tribune), Bay Area reporter Josh Richman reported on the press conference that Oakland Community Organizations hosted. Also included are stories of families that have suffered for lack of health insurance coverage on their children. Josh Richman, the Fremont Argus, 9/16/05. (pdf archive) and the Oakland Tribune, 9/16/05. (pdf archive)

S. Alameda PICO affiliate supports kids' health bill (AB 772)

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 21:01:04 -0700
Hayward - On Friday the South Alameda PICO affiliate, Congregations Organizing for Renewal (COR) in support of AB 772, our kid's health care bill. State Assemblymen Alberto Torrico and Johan Klehs joined hayward officials and COR to urge the Governor to sign AB 772. The Daily Review covered COR's press conference. In Local group fights for kids' health insurance, reporter Michelle Beaver wrote about the effects of no insurance on a 12-year old Hayward student, Estephany Macias. Michelle Beaver, the Daily Review, 9/17/05. (pdf archive)

Tribune supports our kid's health bill and teacher inequity bill in editorial

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:07:33 -0700
Oakland - In Latest legislative session deserves a "D", the Oakland Tribune editorial board states that the Governor should sign AB 772, our children's health care bill and SB 687, our school district accountability bill. The Oakland Tribune editorial, 9/20/05. (pdf archive)

Teacher pay gap

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 17:01:54 -0700
Oakland - In Teacher pay gap, the Oakland Tribune states that "It's long been known that teachers with little experience or emergency credentials tended to work in schools populated by high-risk students from low-income families. Now a new study documents the serious teacher pay gap that exists between rich and poor schools even within the same districts." The full story goes on to support our bill SB 687 "...which is a step in the right direction." The Oakland Tribune Editorial, Sept 21, 2005. (pdf archive)