TeacherLaw News

Building a Better Teacher [New York Times Sunday Magazine] 3/7/10: Around the country, education researchers were beginning to address similar questions. The testing mandates in No Child Left Behind had generated a sea of data, and researchers were now able to parse student achievement in ways they never had before. A new generation of economists devised statistical methods to measure the “value added” to a student’s performance by almost every factor imaginable: class size versus per-pupil funding versus curriculum. When researchers ran the numbers in dozens of different studies, every factor under a school’s control produced just a tiny impact, except for one: which teacher the student had been assigned to. For the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html School’s Shake-Up Is Embraced by the President [New York Times] 3/7/10: A Central Falls, Rhode Island school board’s decision to fire the entire faculty of a poorly performing school, and President Obama’s endorsement of the action, has stirred a storm of reaction nationwide, with teachers condemning it as an insult and conservatives hailing it as a watershed moment of school accountability. For the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/education/07educ.html Folsom Cordova teachers union sues over pay for family reunion trip [Sacramento Bee] 3/5/10: The Folsom Cordova Unified teachers union wants a judge to force the school district to pay an elementary school teacher for five days she spent at a family reunion. The suit was filed in Sacramento Superior Court last month claiming a teacher legitimately used "personal necessity leave" for the September 2008 trip. They asked the court to set aside a school board decision to dock her pay.For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/05/2584274/folsom-cordova-teachers-union.html 3 L.A. teachers suspended over Black History Month celebration of Simpson, Rodman, RuPaul [Los Angeles Times] 3/4/10: Three teachers at a South Los Angeles elementary school have been suspended for allegedly encouraging students to celebrate O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul for Black History Month, officials said Wednesday. For the full story, go to: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/3-la-teachers-suspended-over-black-history-month-celebration-of-simpson-rodman-rupaul.html Is SUSD superintendent overpaid? [Stockton Record] 3/4/10: Less than 16 years ago, outgoing Stockton Unified Superintendent Mary Gonzales Mend resigned from her $103,500-a-year job and was replaced by Gary McHenry, who accepted the position for $106,000. As recently as 2002, George Ridler was earning $153,340 a year in the job. For the full story, go to: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100304/A_NEWS/3040324 9^th Circuit rules in favor of Kamehameha Schools, rejects plaintiffs' anonymity [Honolulu Star-Bulletin] 3/2/10: Students who want to challenge Kamehameha Schools' admission policy must reveal their names publicly to pursue the case in court, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today. http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/85998927.html Read the decision: http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2010/03/02/09-15448.pdf Read the School Law Blog item (3/5/10) at: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/ Teacher Punished for Distributing Jack London Essay on 'Scabs' Can Sue [New Jersey Law Journal] 3/2/10: Novels by Jack London, like "The Call of The Wild," have long been staples of American curricula, but a New Jersey teacher used a nonfiction work attributed to the author to give a lesson, and a federal judge got it. The judge ruled last week that history teacher Robert Cowan can pursue a claim that his constitutional rights were violated when he was suspended for placing copies of "The Scab," a pro-union essay attributed to London, in three colleagues' mailboxes at a high school in 2008. For the full story go to: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202444954161 D.C. teacher evaluations look better [Washington Post / Class Struggle Blog] 2/28/10: A teacher-evaluation system in place in Washington, D.C., schools has been criticized by a teachers union official as lacking an "appropriate system of support to improve instruction," but some educators say it is the best evaluation system they have seen. IMPACT requires teachers to have five observations each year from veteran teachers and administrators, with follow-up conferences where observers offer teachers suggestions for improvement. For the full blog posting, go to: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/02/dc_teacher_evaluation_looks_be.html Lawyers sue school districts over teacher layoffs [California Watch] 2/28/10: As the state's budget crunch seemingly tightens daily, groups of lawyers are fighting the decision of school districts to balance budgets by sending teachers to the unemployment line. For the full story, go to: http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/lawyers-sue-school-districts-over-teacher-layoffs Education protests on tap this week in California [Sacramento Bee] 2/28/10: The protests, teach-ins and walkouts that swept through University of California campuses this fall are scheduled to come back this week. But this time the activism is moving beyond UC – to include Cal State, community college and K-12 campuses – and beyond California to other states as well. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/02/28/2570820/education-protests-on-tap-this.html How much teachers should give up is discussed [San Diego Union-Tribune] 2/25/10: The budget crisis loomed over contract talks yesterday between the teachers union and the San Diego Unified School District. At issue is how much of a hit teachers should take to help offset a deficit that is expected to reach nearly $88 million. For the full story, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/25/how-much-of-hit-teachers-should-take-is-discussed/ The charter school test case that didn't happen [Los Angeles Times] 2/25/10: Los Angeles school officials lost a chance this week to test whether the booming charter movement can take on all the problems of the district's traditional, and often troubled, schools. For the full story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-charter26-2010feb26,0,1231323.story L.A. teachers gain control of 22 campuses in reform [Los Angeles Times] 2/24/10: In an unlikely victory, groups of teachers, rather than outside operators, will run the vast majority of 30 campuses under a controversial school reform effort, the Los Angeles Board of Education decided Tuesday. For the full story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lausd24-2010feb24,0,5021988.story A Vote to Fire All Teachers at a Failing High School [New York Times] 2/24/10: A plan to dismiss the entire faculty and staff of the only public high school in this small city just west of the Massachusetts border (Central Falls, Rhode Island) was approved Tuesday night at an emotional public meeting of the school board. For the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/education/24teacher.html Civil Rights Case Has Implications for Schools [School Law Blog] 2/23/10]: A case granted review this week by the U.S. Supreme Court has implications for school districts in lawsuits alleging violations of the constitutional rights of students or district employees. The justices agreed to decide whether plaintiffs suing local governmental agencies, such as cities, counties, and school districts, must show that a constitutional violation was the result of a policy, custom, or practice of the agency even when they are merely seeking a court order to end the violation, as opposed to monetary damages. For the full blog post, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/02/civil_rights_case_has_implicat.html Justices Decline School Board's Appeal in Bias Case [School Law Blog] 2/22/10: The U.S. Supreme Court today refused the hear the appeal of an Alabama school district in a case in which an employee successfully sued over claims that she was placed too low on the salary schedule. For the full blog posting, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/02/justices_decline_school_boards.html Teachers challenge fairness of administrative leave policies [Bakersfield Californian] 2/22/10: A fight broke out among two students last year, and Shannon Robinson was the only teacher around. She broke it up, then was placed on paid administrative leave, tarnishing her reputation, she said. For the full story, go to: http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x1029066148/Teachers-challenge-fairness-of-administrative-leave-policies Teacher Seniority Rules Challenged [Wall Street Journal] 2/19/10: Teacher seniority rules are meeting resistance from government officials and parents as a wave of layoffs is hitting public schools and driving newer teachers out of classrooms. For the full story, go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703315004575073561669221720.html School District Accused of Spying on Students via Home Webcams [The Legal Intelligencer] 2/19/10: In a case that has set the blogosphere abuzz, a federal lawsuit filed in Philadelphia alleges that 1,800 students were given laptop computers equipped with webcams, which -- unbeknownst to the students or their parents -- could be activated at any time by school officials to spy on the students and their families in their homes. The suit claims that word of the alleged surveillance got out after a school official confronted a student, now the lead plaintiff, with a webcam photo in which he displayed "improper behavior." For the full story, go to: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202443844888 Read and listen to the story from National Public Radio by going to: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123886828 Court Backs Student on Facebook Page Criticizing Teacher [School Law Blog] 2/16/10: In the latest in a flurry of recent rulings about student speech on social-networking sites, a federal district court has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the discipline of a student for a Facebook page critical of a teacher may proceed. For the full blog post, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/02/court_backs_student_on_faceboo.html The case is Evans v. Bayer. The decision can be found at: http://howappealing.law.com/EvansVsBayerSDFla.pdf Antioch schools near decision on uniform policy [Contra Costa Times] 2/16/10: Antioch's school district could soon have more uniformity in its student dress code. The school board has asked staff to compile a series of options aimed at creating a districtwide school uniform policy — including consideration of uniforms at the high school level. For the full story, go to: http://www.contracostatimes.com/education/ci_14405555 Teachers acquitted in sex cases rarely return [San Diego Union-Tribune] 2/16/10: Most teachers accused of sexual misconduct with their students never go back to the classroom, even if they’re cleared. The stigma is too much, the resistance from parents and administrators too strong. They’ve been branded, and thanks to the Internet, it’s a mark that follows them everywhere. For the full story, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/13/teachers-acquitted-sex-cases-rarely-return/ School suspensions: Are they effective [Bakersfield Californian] 2/16/10: According to several school districts' guidelines, students can be suspended for anything from making threats and drug possession to forming secret clubs, gambling, hazing and more. But some educators and school experts say suspending students, especially in elementary school, does more harm than anything. For the full story, go to: http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x914961293/School-suspensions-Are-they-effective Fensterwald: Stimulus law’s futile goal of reform [EducatedGuess.org] 2/1610: In directing $80 billion in stimulus dollars over two years to the nation’s elementary and secondary schools, the Obama administration made a big deal about tying the money to school reform. For the full blog post, go to: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/02/16/stimulus-laws-futile-goal-of-reform/ Fla. student punished for Facebook rant can sue principal [AP / First Amendment Center] 2/16/10: Federal magistrate says Katie Evans' 'speech falls under the wide umbrella of protected speech,' noting that it occurred off-campus, wasn't disruptive on-campus. For the full story, go to: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=22615 Wash. districts mull over math curriculum choices amid legal decisions [Seattle Times] 2/13/10: Officials in Washington state's Bellevue and Issaquah school districts are conducting research and consulting with lawyers as they decide whether to choose an investigations-based math curriculum or more traditional texts for geometry and algebra next year. State courts in the Washington counties of Thurston and King recently came to opposing conclusions about how much authority districts have to choose curricula. For the full story, go to: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011069269_math14m.html Should schools screen for cheating on standardized tests? [New York Times] 2/12/10: Some education experts say more schools, districts and states should conduct regular screening for cheating on standardized tests, as the outcomes of these tests carry increasingly significant consequences. While relatively simple and low-cost screening systems are available, few districts choose to employ them. For the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/education/13erase.html?ref=education Merced Union High School District superintendent's e-mail spurs teacher union complaint Leader urged pay cuts to avoid layoffs in communication directly with staff [Modesto Bee] 2/12/10: The Merced Union High School District Teachers Association announced it has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the school district. Issues arose after all district employees were sent e-mails on Feb. 3 from district Superintendent Scott Scambray urging them to consider pay cuts, rather than risking future layoffs because of necessary budget cuts. For the full story, go to: http://www.modbee.com/local/story/1045553.html Special-ed teacher, fired for complaint, loses case [First Amendment Center] 2/12/10: A special-education teacher in Booneville, Miss., who complained about corporal punishment of an autistic student by another teacher has no First Amendment claim, a federal district court has ruled. In this latest Garcetti-related ruling, the court finds that teacher’s protest against paddling of autistic student was job-related speech not protected by First Amendment. For the full story, go to: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=22602 Fensterwald: Tenure not quite automatic in L.A. [EducatedGuess.org] 2/11/10: Embarrassed by a Los Angeles Times story revealing teacher tenure has been all but automatic in Los Angeles Unified, the district is tripling the number of probationary teachers who will be fired this year. For the full blog post, go to: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/02/11/tenure-not-quite-automatic-in-l-a/ New Jersey Court Backs Administrator's Search of Student Vehicle [School Law Blog] 2/9/10: An administrator's search of a student's car on school grounds need only meet the reasonable suspicion standard, rather than the more stringent standard of probable cause, to be constitutional, New Jersey's highest court has ruledFor the full blog, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/02/court_backs_reasonable_suspici.html Read the State of New Jersey v. Best by going to: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/supreme/A7708StatevThomasBest.pdf Fensterwald: Report: rescind most mandated programs [EducatedGuess.org] 2/4/10: Recognizing schools’ financial plight, the Legislature and Gov. Schwarzenegger have given districts considerable latitude over how they can spend money for 40 programs known as categoricals. They include important programs: summer school, teacher training and textbook purchases. For the full blog post, go to: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/02/04/report-rescind-most-mandated-programs/ Report: Ending gym tests, other school requirements could save state $350 million [Capitol Watch] 2/3/10: The Legislative Analyst's Office on Monday called for an overhaul of the state's education mandates after finding a plethora of inefficient requirements costing school districts nearly $400 million. For the full story, go to: http://www.californiawatch.org/watchblog/report-ending-gym-tests-other-school-requirements-could-save-state-350-million Recession takes toll on California schools [Capitol Watch] 2/3/10: Broken families. Increased hunger. Homelessness. This isn't a blog about post-earthquake life in Haiti. This is the impact of the recession on scores of children attending California schools, according to a recent report from UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access. http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/recession-takes-toll-california-schools Teacher pay can vary greatly by district, California report says [Sacramento Bee] 1/31/10: The amount of money a California teacher makes these days depends greatly on the school district that cuts the paycheck, according to a state report released this month. And the gap between the high and low salaries is wide. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2502276.html Hazelwood limits teacher speech, too [David Hudson of the First Amendment Center] 1/30/10: When First Amendment advocates hear the name Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, they naturally think of student-press rights or, more accurately, a diminution of student-press rights. But a recent ruling shows it's more than that. For the full opinion piece, go to: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=22559 Nev. teachers union tries to block student newspaper article [First Amendment Center Online / Student Press Law Center] 1/29/10: A Nevada school newspaper has been allowed to run an article critical of a teacher, even though a teachers union sought to block its publication. The article by senior Lauren Mac Lean at Churchill County High School in Fallon is scheduled to run on January 29 in the school’s paper, The Flash. For the full story, go to: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=22558 http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=2018 To read the questioned article, go to: http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20100128/NEWS/100129868/1055&ParentProfile=1045 Teacher's Union Grievance Not Protected Speech, Court Rules [School Law Blog] 1/28/10: A New York City teacher's grievance to his union complaining that school administrators failed to discipline a student who threw books at him was not protected speech under the First Amendment, a federal appeals court has ruled. For the full blog, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/01/under_construction.html To read the case, Weintraub v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, go to: http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/3a33dac6-6e62-4c14-b0b4-6ed41926e5da/6/doc/07-2376-cv.pdf Group criticizes state teacher policies nationwide [Los Angeles Times] 1/28/10: The nonprofit National Council on Teacher Quality says in a report expected to be released today that states have "broken, outdated and inflexible" policies in place that protect ineffective teachers and ultimately harm student learning. The council says the report is "a blueprint for reform," but teachers union leaders say the report is flawed. "This was more of a 'gotcha' document rather than, 'here's what's working, let's celebrate it, let's share it,' " says Jeff Hubbard, president of the Georgia Association of Educators. For the full story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-teacher-quality,0,1190558.story Experts doubt smooth or timely rewrite of No Child Left Behind [New York Times] 1/28/10: Experts say a revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will be difficult to complete this year because of political differences among lawmakers and competing legislative priorities. The last revision of the law, in 2001, which resulted in its renaming as No Child Left Behind, took an entire year even with a strong bipartisan consensus that is no longer in place. "One can only wish them well, but reworking this monstrously complex statute is apt to prove almost as challenging as health care," one former education official wrote. For the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/education/29child.html Fensterwald: PPIC poll: Tax us to protect K-12 schools [EducatedGuess.org] 1/28/10: Two-thirds of adults surveyed in a Public Policy Institute of California poll say they support higher taxes to maintain funding for K-12 schools. And a full 82 percent, including a majority of Republicans polled, oppose cutting K-12 education to reduce the state budget deficit. Read the blog posting at: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/01/28/ppic-poll-tax-us-to-protect-k-12-schools/ L.A. Unified teacher barred from class 7 years ago is finally fired [Los Angeles Times] 1/28/10: The Los Angeles Unified School District has fired a teacher who had been paid his full salary since being barred from the classroom more than seven years ago for alleged misconduct. For the full story, go to: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/lausd-teacher-barred-since-2002-matthew-kim-finally-fired.html District Not Liable for 'Passing the Trash,' Court Rules [School Law Blog] 1/27/10: An Illinois school district that allegedly concealed a teacher's record of sexually abusing students was not liable when the teacher continued to abuse students in another community, a federal appeals court has ruled. Read the blog posting at: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2010/01/district_not_liable_for_passin.html Read the decision in Doe-2 v. McClean County Unit District No. 5 by going to: http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/tmp/UQ0HIRG7.pdf Censorship settlement thrills speech advocates [San Diego Union Tribune] 1/25/10: Free-speech advocates are seeing a recent settlement of a lawsuit that challenged Fallbrook High School’s censorship of its student newspaper as a triumph that could send ripples throughout the country. For the full story, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/25/censorship-settlement-thrills-speech-advocates/ Family sues LAUSD over sting tactics [Los Angeles Daily News] 1/25/10: The family of a 12-year-old who was used as bait in a marijuana sting operation devised by administrators at a Granada Hills middle school filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Los Angeles Unified School District and the three administrators. For the full story, go to: http://www.dailynews.com/education/ci_14243592 Expulsion for guns in truck overturned by education board [Sacramento Bee] 1/25/10: In the end, the case of a Willows teenager expelled for having hunting guns in his pickup truck parked next to campus didn't focus on gun rights. It became a question of whether the authority of school officials to enforce the state's Education Code extended to the school fence – or a sidewalk's width beyond it. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/education/story/2483630.html California Watch: Schools reject immigrant, preschool reforms in Race to the Top [California Watch] 1/25/10: Hundreds of school districts and charter schools have pledged support for the federal government's Race to the Top education reforms. For the full story, go to: http://www.californiawatch.org/watchblog/schools-reject-immigrant-preschool-reforms-race-top Fensterwald: Parcel tax initiative needs signatures [EducatedGuess] 1/25/10: Twenty-two of state Sen. Joe Simitian’s colleagues in the Senate are co-sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lower the threshold for passing a local school parcel tax from two-thirds to 55 percent. For the full story, go to: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/01/25/parcel-tax-initiative-needs-signatures/ Berkeley High may cut lab classes to fund programs for struggling students [Los Angeles Times] 1/24/10: Trying to address a major ethnic and racial achievement gap, the school would divert funds from before- and after-school science labs filled mostly with white students. The plan has sparked debate. For the full story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-berkeley-schools24-2010jan24,0,4747506.story Expulsion of Willows High student with shotguns near campus overturned [Sacramento Bee] 1/23/10: A Willows High School student who was expelled for having firearms in his pickup that was parked near the school will be reinstated and have record of the disciplinary action expunged from his record. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2483630.html Update to Calif. student free expression law to reach Senate floor [Student Press Law Center] 1/22/10: An updated version of the student free expression bill is set to take the Senate floor Monday, according to a legislative staffer. The bill, SB 438, which if enacted will prevent attempted censorship by charter school administrators, passed the Senate’s judiciary committee in a unanimous 5-0 vote last Wednesday. The bill amends California Education Code Section 48907 -- the state's student free expression code -- to read "pupils of the public schools, including charter schools, shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press ..." For the full story, go to: http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=2015 Part-timer hours at issue as San Juan teachers sue [Sacramento Bee] 1/22/10: The San Juan Teachers Association has filed a lawsuit against San Juan Unified, accusing the district of violating the state Education Code by increasing the hours of part-time workers instead of hiring back employees who were laid off last year. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2481097.html California teacher salary data available online [Eureka Times-Standard] 1/21/10: Teacher salary reports for the 2008-2009 school year, covering a majority of the state's school districts, were made available online this week for public view. For the full story, go to: http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_14236956 To review the data, go to: http://www.ed-data.org/welcome.asp Discrimination case heads to trial [Bakersfield Californian] 1/20/10: trial date has been set in the case of a veteran teacher and local rabbi suing the Edison School District claiming discrimination on the basis of religion, age, gender and hostile work environment. For the full story, go to: http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x113240421/Education-roundup-Discrimination-case-heads-to-trial Takeover bids for six Valley schools are set to begin [Los Angeles Daily News] 1/20/10: Charter school operators, teacher collectives and non-profit groups will present their plans today to run Valley Region Elementary School No. 9 in Van Nuys, one of 36 public schools up for grabs under a Los Angeles Unified reform plan. For the full story, go to: http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_14226429 Willows student's expulsion for gun possession draws national attention [Sacramento Bee] 1/18/10: Folks in the rural community of Willows remember the days, not long ago, when teenagers would go duck hunting on autumn mornings and then park their pickup trucks on the Willows High School campus with shotguns displayed in racks. For the full story, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2469453.html Walters: A Wonderland formula funds California schools [Sacramento Bee] 1/17/10: When Lewis Carroll's Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, she was ensconced in a bizarre world where nothing was what it seemed. For the full opinion piece, go to: http://www.sacbee.com/walters/story/2468140.html Garcettized! '06 ruling still zapping speech [David L. Hudson Jr. of the First Amendment Center] 1/15/10: It was one of the Supreme Court’s most controversial First Amendment decisions in years. It has led to the dismissal of legions of public-employee lawsuits. It has threatened legitimate whistleblowers wanting to speak out on important matters of public concern. Plaintiffs’ attorneys refer to it as a verb — saying their clients have been Garcettized. It's the case of Garcetti v. Ceballos (2006), in which the Supreme Court ruled that public employees have no First Amendment protection for speech made in the course of their official job duties. For the full article, go to: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=22501 Fensterwald: Now 46th in nation in per student funding [Educated Guess] 1/14/10: California is still knocking about the bottom in per student K-12 spending at 46th among the states and Washington, D.C., according to Education Week’s much anticipated annual survey. That’s the same ranking as last year. It might have been spared 51st because Ed Week used data from 2007, before fiscal disaster struck. For the full blog, go to: http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/01/15/now-46th-in-nation-in-per-student-funding/