Within the context of group behavior theories, discusses the responses of the Tuesday Night Group (TNG), an informal lobbyist organization, to California's Proposition 13. Concludes that TNG exemplified the statewide educational collective in pursuit of the collective good, general aid, and whatever private rewards the leaders feel they can…

A unique program in California involved the community and senior citizens in reconstructing the early history of the school district and setting up a permanent historic exhibit. (MD)

Identifies several impediments to achieving reading literacy for many in-city high school students in California, including lack of interest and motivation, inappropriate resources and absence of support, and insufficient reading experiences and background knowledge. Recommends ways to remove these barriers through the use of strategic reading and…

Discusses the problems of poverty, poor health, exploitation, and lack of educational opportunities faced by Mexican American migrant agricultural workers. (Author/GC)

Reviews the history of charter laws since the first charter law was passed in 1991, examining the implementation of charter schools in California, Colorado, Minnesota, and Texas. The paper delineates issues and concerns and suggests educational practices within charter schools which are pertinent to the successful reinvention of public schools in…

Describes the California Humanities Project, an attempt to bring advanced research and scholarship in the humanities into the curriculum at all levels. Also reports on legislation which requires the California State Department of Education to develop a model curriculum on human rights with particular attention to inhumanity and genocide. (JDH)

California's Board of Education recently rejected all of the more than 20 seventh- and eighth-grade science textbooks submitted to it because the books' publishers had "watered down" the treatment of evolution. Rationale for the board's decision and implications for publishing (such as revising the textbooks) are addressed. (JN)

For several years, concerns have been growing about the mathematics achievement of California's K-12 students. In September 1995, the California Mathematics Task Force issued a report entitled "A Call to Action: Improving Mathematics Achievement for All California Students". The Task Force also provided specific recommendations for the…

The challenge of educating the limited- or non-English-speaking (LES/NES) student is discussed in four papers: "Aspects of Bilingual Education for LES/NES Students" by Heidi Dulay and Marina Burt, "Definition and Measurement of Bilingual Students" by Edward A. De Avila and Sharon E. Duncan, "Bilingual Education for the…

Notes that in 1985, California eighth-grade students took the first statewide history-social science test which emphasized critical thinking skills. Contends that these skills are teachable and should be a priority in social studies. Describes three approaches to critical thinking skills assessment and provides three examples. Concludes with…

Discusses the controversy over multicultural education. Contrasts California's pluralistic approach with New York's particularistic approach. Argues for a multiculturalism that provides students with both an appreciation for America's racial and cultural diversity and a commitment to the common culture that unites all of us in America. (JS)

Categorical education programs provide state funding to schools and local education agencies for the purchase of specific types of local services, such as transportation, subsidized meals, and supplemental instruction. California has at least 57 separate categorical programs. This document provides an overview of California's experience with…

This document contains a proposal developed by a task force of counseling and guidance leaders to provide a common base from which to affect a reform in counseling and guidance in California. The proposal emphasizes the importance of comprehensive counseling and guidance planning. Sections on introduction, history, statement of purpose, and…

A report by the California State Department of Education described the impact of a major change in student ethnic enrollment throughout the state. Not only has there been an increase in the numbers of minority students, but there have also been shifts in the concentration of minority students and increases in the number of Limited English…

This paper addresses issues raised in developing programs and strategies to serve Hispanic students. Discussed specifically are: (1) the demographics of California and educational implications; (2) the role of culture in the school-home relationship; and (3) the significance of language for linguistic and cognitive development of language minority…