CA Flunks Computer Access Test

California school received a D+ in the new "Technology Counts" survey. The survey was conducted by the nonprofit magazine Education Week. West Virginia was the only state that earned an A in the whole country and the country as a whole got a grade of a C+.
Each state was graded on three points: "access" (do we have enough computers?), "use" (do states expect and require students to use computers?), and "capacity" (do teachers know how to use computers themselves?). The data was collected from fourth through eight grade classrooms.
California did well in the area of "capacity." We are only one of 19 states to require that teacher have some knowledge of computers to get a teaching credential. California got a B- in this area.
However "use" and "access" are different stories. California got a D+ in the "use" category. This is because though the state has technology expectations for students, it does not follow through and test them on that knowledge. The state got an F in "capacity." 93% of California fourth graders had access to a computer, yet 95% do nationwide. Access to a computer shrinks to 72% in the eighth grade in California and 83% nationwide.
Even better news for the children of this state...with all the budget cuts coming down from Sacramento it doesn't look like California's computer access grade will be going up any time soon.

Girl Scouts Stand Up to the Governor

One of the best stories I've read in the Contra Costa Times has to be todays article about Walnut Creek Girls Scouts who are passing around a petition against the education budget cuts.

Girl Scout troop 2543 is currently passing around a petition for everone to sign (even kids). The petition is special, it mimics the preamble of the Consistution: "We the people of Walnut Creek Intermediate School, in order to have a more perfect education, urge you to establish an adequate budget for our education ... Please don't leave the students of California behind."

The girls plan on delivering thier petition to local law makers. So far they have collected over 1000 signtures.

You go Girls!!!