Williams settlement announced

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the parties to the Williams v. State of California lawsuit announced that a settlement agreement has been reached that will put an end to the contentious case and allow the state to move forward in reconciling troubling inequities in the education of disadvantaged students.

Key features of the Williams settlement

Repeal of contracting restrictions on hold

Efforts to loosen restrictions on school districts’ ability to contract out some services were scrapped in the final push to pass a state budget in July.

Low-performing areas to be focus of new charter grants

California received a $75 million federal Public Charter School Grant to develop hundreds of charter schools during 2004-07.

R&R: September Research & Reports

Review of state government recommends dramatic changes

Included in the recently released California Performance Review’s 1,000 recommendations for cutting government costs and increasing efficiency are proposals that would dramatically reshape the state’s education system.