Court of Appeal Upholds District Classification of Coach as Temp Employee [California Court of Appeal, 2nd District, 1/27/11]: A certificated teacher was hired as a baseball coach at Mira Costa High School. When relieved of his teaching job, he retained his baseball coach status. A few years later he was relieved of his coach status. He claims that he should be considered a “probationary employee” with more employments rights. The District considers him a “temporary employee,” a “walk-on” coach hired on a “year-to-year” basis. The trial court, and now the Second District Court of Appeal, agrees with the District. Read the decision in Neily v. Manhatten Beach USD.

Kerchner: Imagine teachers as free agents before adopting pay for performance [Thoughts on Public Education, 1/27/11]: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and a raft of supporters in the foundation world fervently want to replace the tried-and-true teacher salary schedule with pay-for-performance schemes. They should be careful what they wish for.

Sweetwater subs told about higher paying job if they cross picket lines [San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/26/11]: In a move angering educators in both school systems, the Sweetwater Union High School District is letting its substitutes know they can collect significantly more money in National City should a strike occur there.

Fensterwald: Obama’s state of dissension [Thoughts on Public Education, 1/26/11]: One of President Obama’s sustained, bipartisan applause lines in the State of the Union address was his call for giving teachers the level of respect they get in South Korea. Applause faded when he then said, “We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones.

New penalties proposed for banned school fees [California Watch, 1/26/11]: School districts that violate the state's guarantee to a free education by illegally charging fees for classroom and extracurricular activities would have a portion of their annual budget withheld under newly proposed legislation.

New groups poised to change state education landscape [California Watch, 1/25/11]: As schools in California brace for another difficult year, new forces have emerged that are poised to reshape the education landscape in California.

Fensterwald: Seeing silver lining in Robles-Wong [Educated Guess, 1/24/11]: A Superior Court ruling narrowing the scope of two suits challenging the state’s system of funding education is distressing to those favoring more money for California schools. But while disappointed, lawyers for the cases say they’re not despondent – or ready to give in.

Teacher training schools to be ranked for first time [California Watch, 1/24/11]: Just as more teachers are facing performance rankings of their work, dozens of teacher training schools in California will be judged for the first time in a nationwide survey set for publication in U.S. News and World Report.

Education fixes now will pay off in 2025, experts say [California Watch, 1/24/11]: Policies that strengthen data tracking and improve pre-kindergarten programs are needed now to ensure the state's children are successful in the 21st century, according to a study released last week by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Student settles with Fla. district over Facebook posts [Student Press Law Center, 1/20/11]: A former Pembroke Pines (Florida) Charter High School student suspended for critical Facebook postings about her teacher has settled with the school after a three-year legal battle. Katherine “Katie” Evans signed the settlement in November, in which the school agrees to remove any record of her suspension or the initial incident and pay $15,000 in attorney fees and $1 in nominal damages. The school signed the settlement in December. You can read the complaint filed December 8, 2008, by going to: