TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Race to the top

More than $4.3 billion in education funding is being offered by the Obama administration for states to improve low performing schools and overhaul performance accountability systems for teachers and students.

It's the largest amount of money ever offered to restructure state education systems.

California and its 6.3 million students could be up for $500 million.

The catch: Only states that allow student test scores to be tied to teacher evaluations need bother to apply.

Thus a special legislative session Wednesday called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to discuss the implications of modifying a line in the state education code that stipulates teacher data not be used for "personnel evaluation of any individual teacher."

The governor also wants students to be able to attend any school, and lift a cap on charter school numbers.

Teachers are concerned they could be unfairly evaluated or lose tenure in a new system.

State schools chief Jack O'Connell favors the application, and called for "uncomfortable" conversions from all interested parties to put student needs first.

The California Teachers Association said it didn't want legislators to make a "knee-jerk" reaction, and asked they not make changes without "input from educators and parents."

-- Jeff Nachtigal

State SAT scores

Last year 49 percent of California high school graduates took the SAT, up 1 percent from 2008.

In terms of performance, public school students on average scored 495 in critical reading, up one point from 2008; 493 on writing, the same as last year; and 494 on mathematics, a 1-point decrease from 2008.

The scores show that students who take more demanding courses, including Advanced Placement and honors courses, score higher -- on average 55 points higher in reading, and 56 points higher in writing.

There's an even wider gap in math. Honors and AP students scored an average of 86 points higher than others.

Other points about the test takers: 37 percent were minority students, and 47 percent will be the first in their families to go to college.

Local school SAT scores aren't available yet.

New BC faculty

Bakersfield College welcomed 12 new faculty members for the start of fall semester, four of whom are former BC students.

The new hires fill positions vacated by retirement or faculty moving to other positions. BC currently employs 254 full-time faculty.

The college tracks retirements closely, in part because the hiring process requires about nine months. Currently 70 faculty members are over age 56, and 42 are under age 40, according to spokeswoman Amber Chiang.

Former BC students, turned faculty are: Gabriele Martin, nursing; Erin Miller, history; Joshua Ralls, welding; Neal Stanifer, English.

Robot course

A sampling from the Levan Institute's fall course catalog: Build a robot, connect with your grandkids. Levan Institute instructor Ron Siemens, a graduate of Bakersfield College and a long-time aerospace industry scientist, is teaching the "Nuts and Volts of Robotics."

Course participants will build robots that avoid obstacles, navigate through a maze, walk a line, or play music. No specific knowledge or mechanical training is required.

Register online: http://tinyurl.com/l9vt3e or call about hours for registration: 395-4011