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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2006

For More Information, Contact:
Sarah Mason (916) 651-4011

SENATE TO CONSIDER “CHARTER SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA – WHAT’S WORKING, WHAT’S NOT, AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”


WHAT:
The Senate Select Committee on California’s Master Plan for Education will hold the first in a series of hearings to discuss the state of California’s charter schools. 

Panelists will provide information about the students served by charter schools and an overview of these schools – a history of state policy, research findings, and a roadmap for future policy development.  A follow up hearing will be held in Senator Simitian’s District in October. 

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 1 at 1:30 PM

WHERE:
State Capitol, Room 3191
           
PARTICIPANTS:

  • State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), Committee Chair
  • State Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley), Committee Member
  • Brian Edwards, Senior Policy Analyst, EdSource, will discuss the characteristics and demographics of California charter schools and charter school students.
  • Jennifer Kuhn, Director of K-12 Education, Legislative Analyst’s Office, will discuss the history and development of charter school policy in California.
  • Richard Buddin, Professor of Economics at RAND Graduate School and Visiting Professor of Economics at UCLA will discuss research findings on California charter schools.
  • Rick Pratt, Assistant Executive Director, California School Boards Association will discuss school board perspectives on charter schools.
  • Eric Premack, Co-Director, Charter Schools Development Center, will discuss quality charter granting and oversight.
  • Jeannie Oropeza, Program Budget Manager of the Education Systems Unit, California Department of Finance, will discuss the Schwarzenegger Administration’s perspective on the future of California charter schools.

HOW:
The hearing will be broadcast on the Cal Channel and the State Senate’s closed circuit television network.

Media can also listen online through the State Senate’s website, http://www.sen.ca.gov , by clicking the “Audio/TV” link and then clicking “Listen” on the upper left-hand side of the screen.

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