Sen. Huff wants legislature to tackle teacher evaluation [San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 3/6/11]: A bill by San Gabriel Valley state Sen. Bob Huff would do away with the first-in, first-out layoff policies at California school districts, a change long sought by education reform groups. Senate Bill 355 calls for districts to evaluate teachers and to use the data to lay off the worst teachers. Right now, teacher layoffs are based almost solely on seniority.

N.J. Task Force Makes Recommendations on Grading Teachers [Wall Street Journal, 3/4/11]: The administration of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie released a proposed rubric developed by a task force for evaluating teachers and awarding tenure and pay. The panel is suggesting that 50% of teacher ratings be based on student performance, 40% on measures of "effective practice" and 10% on other factors. However, critics of the proposed system, including teachers unions and some education experts, argue that student-testing data is unreliable and should not be used to make "high-stakes personnel decisions."

Gates challenges assumptions on teacher pay, seniority [ABC News, 3/3/11]: Microsoft founder Bill Gates challenged traditional assumptions about teacher pay, seniority and effectiveness in a speech Thursday at the 2011 TED (Technology, Education, Design) Conference. Gates questioned the $50 billion he said is spent each year on seniority-based pay increases for teachers, arguing that teacher longevity has not been shown to improve student achievement. He promoted the concept of extra pay for top teachers who agree to take on additional students.

Fourth Hacienda La Puente school district employee faces workers comp fraud charges [San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 3/4/11]: For the fourth time since January, a Hacienda La Puente Unified School District employee was arrested Wednesday night on charges of workers compensation fraud, authorities said. Warner said the cases are not related but said the high volume was due to the district's increased vigilance fighting insurance fraud. School district officials didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Rio School District in limbo for now [Ventura County Star, 3/4/11]: Rio School District officials have not yet settled on who will lead the district after Superintendent Sherianne Cotterell goes on paid leave Friday, saying they expect to have more information next week. In a split decision Wednesday, the Rio school board announced it would terminate Cotterell's contract without cause and place her on paid leave as The story from the previous day is here.

Baron: Duncan criticizes last-hired, first-fired [Thoughts on Public Education, 3/4/11]: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan called on state and local officials to be flexible and creative with federal education funds to protect students from the harshest cuts during this budget crisis.

Teachers face unprecedented challenges to their profession [New York Times, 3/2/11]: Many teachers across the country view warnings about layoffs -- along with ongoing attempts to reduce their rights, income and benefits -- as negative commentary on their value to society. The efforts, under way in numerous states, are being driven ostensibly by deep budget deficits and a broad school accountability movement. However, some say the initiatives will deter high-quality recruits from entering the profession and will drive effective teachers from the neediest schools.

School officials blast watchdog group for audit [Chico Enterprise-Record, 3/2/11]: Two school superintendents Tuesday accused the watchdog group Californians Aware (CalAware) of trying to make the public schools look bad with its Public Records Act audit.

Camp: 10 essential blogs on Cal education—no, make that 11 [Thoughts on Public Education, 3/2/11]: Many education-related organizations in California have developed blogs or email lists to keep their followers informed.

Facebook song gets Miss. student suspended, school sued [Student Press Law Center, 3/1/11]: A high school student is suing his school board, superintendent and principal after he was suspended for recording a rap song off campus that referenced allegations of inappropriate behavior by coaches with female students.

Justices Weigh School Interviews on Sex Abuse [School Law Blog, 3/1/11]: The U.S. Supreme Court today took up, in Camreta v. Greene, what potentially could be a major test involving the rights of children when interacting with the police and other government investigators in schools. But in the case over whether school interviews of children by investigators constitute unreasonable "seizures" under the Fourth Amendment, the arguments today quickly stumbled over procedural issues. On March 23, the court will take up another case involving the police and schools. In J.D.B. v. North Carolina the justices will consider whether a student interviewed at school about suspected neighborhood thefts should have been given a Miranda warning. Read Tony Mauro on the Camreta case [National Law Journal, 3/2/11].

Office for Civil Rights Posts Agreements From Investigations [Education Week, 3/1/11]: The U.S. Department of Education's office for civil rights is posting agreements online that are forged between the office and school districts resulting from compliance reviews or investigations of complaints. Russlynn H. Ali, the assistant secretary for the OCR, made a point of telling me about the new method of distribution in a phone interview last Friday.

High Court Declines Student Speech Case [School Law Blog, 2/28/11]: The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear the appeal of a high school student who claimed that his free speech rights were infringed when administrators refused to let him return to school to address allegations that he had made a racially insensitive comment about another student. Read the 2nd Circuit opinion in DeFabio v. East Hampton Union Free School District:

Ex-Grant administrators sue Twin Rivers school district for jobs and back pay [Sacramento Bee, 2/28/11]: Twin Rivers Unified School District is fighting a new wave of lawsuits by six former administrators of the Grant Joint Union High School District. The two latest lawsuits were filed in January by two groups of former high-ranking Grant administrators who are demanding that they be given jobs with back pay.

Sweetwater wins lawsuit with former administrator [San Diego Union Tribune, 2/25/11]: A former Sweetwater Union High School District administrator is not entitled to additional severance pay, a San Diego Superior Court judge has determined.