Bill would streamline leadership of K-12 school system
By Corey G. Johnson/California Watch
A bill that recently sailed through the Senate would shift the policymaking powers of the State Board of Education to the superintendent of public instruction and the state's Department of Education. Sponsored by Sen. Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, SB 204 seeks to untangle what has been a complex bureaucratic relationship among the state board, state superintendent and governor's office. The state Senate voted 26-13 in favor of the bill on June 1. The proposal now is being reviewed by the Assembly's Education Committee. If approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, the bill would create a director of education, who would be responsible for overseeing policy and report to the superintendent. (more…)