EDUCATION NEWS FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 14

Friday's top education headlines

compiled by

American School & University:

March 14, 2003

LAYOFF WARNINGS: In a precautionary response to California's budget crisis, school districts across the state are notifying tens of thousands of teachers and school administrators that they could be laid off next year. As many as 30,000 teachers and administrators are receiving the so-called March 15 notices this year....sidebars: Orange County, Calif., teachers in "pink slip" shock....Hundreds of Ventura County educators get layoff warnings. (Los Angeles Times)

TAINTED WATER: Following two weeks of warnings and school officials' repeated promises of compliance, Baltimore's top health official has fined 36 schools a total of about $4,000 for failing to protect children from possible lead contamination. (Baltimore Sun)

VIOLENCE PLANNED: Gilbert, Ariz., school officials plan to expel six students who police said were plotting a bloodbath for Gilbert High School. The six were held on suspicion of plotting to lace the school with bombs and shoot students and staff they didn't like. (Arizona Republic)

WASHINGTON CHARTERS: Charter schools could soon be allowed in the state of Washington. The state Senate has for the first time passed a charter-schools bill. It could clear the way for Washington to become the 40th state to allow the independent public schools. (Seattle Times)

DIRTY WORK: Clark County, Nev., schools superintendent Carlos Garcia said he's bracing himself for the "dirty work" of cutting as much as $220 million from the district budget over the next two years. (Las Vegas Sun)

CLOSURE THREAT: The Tempe (Ariz.) Union High School District's superintendent has recommended a $2.1 million budget cutback that force a school for gifted students to close. (Arizona Republic)

KAUFFMAN SCHOLARS: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has announced a $70 million program to prepare middle school students in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., districts for college and pay for their education. (Kansas City Star)

NEW SEARCH: The school board in Framingham, Mass., is scrambling to launch another superintendent search after the two finalists withdrew from consideration for the job. (Boston Globe)

SMALLER CLASSES: A Florida Senate committee has passed a measure that would require school districts to start lowering class size this fall -- or face financial penalties. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)....In Georgia, House Democratic leaders say they will block the governor's plan to delay class size reductions. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

FINANCE PROBE: A divided Rio (Calif.) school board will investigate the district's administrative expenses to determine if the superintendent should keep her job. (Los Angeles Times)

GIRLS SCHOOL: Officials with the Dallas school district say an all-girls public school could open next fall in South Dallas. (Dallas Morning News)