smcoe masthead
Issue: # 3 January 2010
In This Issue
Governor's Budget
Race to the Top
Featured Article
Free for Teachers
Biotech students
Featured Article

The SMCOE Special Olympics Program gives students with special needs the chance to play sports.
Governor's Budget Proposal Reveals Good and Bad News for K-12 Schools  
 

On January 8, 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger presented his 2010-11 State Budget Proposal with vows that he would "protect education" and "maintain the same level of funding for schools next year as we had this year." 

The good news -- his proposal continues the funding flexibility that was given to school districts last year for categorical programs, and does not require school districts to make cuts midyear.
  

That glimmer of good news was overshadowed by the reality of the state's $19.9 billion gap between revenues and expenditures, overly optimistic projections for increased federal funding and improvements in the economy, and gimmicky budget maneuvers that analysts say will end up costing schools statewide almost $2 billion.

Education is Not Really "Protected"

The Governor may have stated that he would "protect education," but that doesn't mean there won't be new cuts to education funding. A decline in revenues under Proposition 98, a negative cost-of-living adjustment and proposed cuts to administration funding all spell fewer dollars for school districts in 2010-11.

Read more about the Governor's State Budget Proposal and its impact on schools here.

San Mateo County School Districts Sign On To Race to the Top  
 

The application is in and the waiting begins. This week the California Department of Education (CDE) submitted its grant application to the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE) in the Race to the Top (RTTT) competition. If California is chosen to win a grant, it could receive a one-time sum of $350-$750 million for school reform efforts across the state.

Nineteen out of 24 San Mateo County school districts (including the San Mateo County Office of Education) submitted signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to the California Department of Education as partners with the state of California in its application. These districts will receive grant money should the state be successful in its bid.

The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) has been serving as a conduit for information about Race to the Top to local districts. "The picture evolves daily," says Gary Waddell, Associate Superintendent at SMCOE.  "Race to the Top potentially presents an historic opportunity for local districts to receive federal dollars to support reform efforts," adds Waddell.

California will be competing with approximately 40 other states that indicated their intent to submit their RTTT applications for a share of the $4.3 billion grant money. The U.S. DOE is expected to announce the winning states in April. Whether or not California wins is up in the air. "A lot is still unknown, but state sources are cautiously optimistic about California's chances," says Waddell.

 

For more information about SMCOE and Race to the Top, check here.

 

For information on the status of California's grant application and a complete list of local educational agencies that have submitted a signed RTTT MOU, check here.

 Find information on Race to the Top from the U.S. Department of Education.  

Special Olympics Engages Students
In Basketball, Bowling and More
 
 

At public schools throughout San Mateo County, students with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to participate in basketball, soccer, track or bowling, thanks to a partboy with basketballnership with Special Olympics Northern California and the San Mateo County Office of Education.

 

Begun in 2001, the program has grown by leaps and bounds from six students to more than 1,000. Students train together and participate on teams, in track meets, basketball tournaments and bowling competitions. High school students participate in a Youth Leadership Summit and also help to lead programs for younger students.

 

Thanks to the generosity of SMCOE employees, $712 was raised through this year's annual SMCOE employees' holiday luncheon raffle to support the county's Special Olympics program. This money will be used to support supplemental bowling activities for students in the Special Olympics program.

 

Learn more about the San Mateo County Office of Education Special Olympics program here.

 

 

Teachers Get in Free at the
California Academy of Sciences 
 

In honor of their service to our communities, teachers will receive free admission to the California Academy of SciCA Academy of Sciencesences from February 1 through March 15, 2010.  To participate, teachers need to show proof of occupation and a valid ID at the ticket window. 

To learn more about other teacher opportunities, visit the California Academy of Sciences Web site  and sign up for the California Academy of Sciences newsletter.

The Academy is an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and four-story rainforest under one roof, located in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
For information call (415) 379-8000.
.

About the San Mateo County Office of Education
 
The San Mateo County Office of Education provides a variety of instructional, business and consulting services to the County's twenty-three public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District, and County Office of Education staff.