Hundreds of teachers, technology coordinators, school and district administrators, and select students from around Southern California will gather at Cal State L.A. for a special conference that will explore the innovative and effective ways technology is being used at K-12 schools.

     The 21st [...]]]> Oct. 15 Ed Tech Event at CSULA is Among the State’s Biggest

      Hundreds of teachers, technology coordinators, school and district administrators, and select students from around Southern California will gather at Cal State L.A. for a special conference that will explore the innovative and effective ways technology is being used at K-12 schools.

     The 21^st Century Learners Symposium, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, will feature workshops by top consultants and technology specialists on successful and “hot” classroom uses, trends, services and applications. Topics will include mobile technology, digital textbooks, netbooks, open source, Google, and Web 2.0 tools. The conference is one of the largest education technology events in the state.

     WHAT:    The 21^st Century Learners Symposium of 2010

     WHEN:    Friday, Oct. 15, 2010 — 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 WHERE: CSULA Golden Eagle Conference Center, 5151 State University Dr., L.A. 90032

                 NOTE: Media parking available by checking in at the Welcome Center/Kiosk on

                 Paseo Rancho Castilla (campus map: www.calstatela.edu/univ/maps/cslamap.php) 

WHO:     Participants are K-12 educators, staff and students from public and private    

                schools throughout Southern California.  Featured presentations:

                 All Day:    Special hands-on product and demonstration sessions

   All Day:    Student multimedia projects by Hollywood High School (LAUSD)   

                     and Rowland Avenue Elementary School (Covina-Valley USD)

                  9:30 am:   Leadership keynote: Cheryl Lemke, CEO, Metiri Group

                 12:50 pm: Afternoon keynote: Milton Chen, George Lucas Ed Foundation

              Symposium is presented by the L.A. County Office of Education’s Instructional

              Technology Outreach and California Technology Assistance (Region 11) Project.

     INTERVIEWS / VISUALS:

Nearly 600 attendees are expected. In addition to open interview opportunities with presenters, experts and participants, there will be numerous displays and demonstrations by product and service vendors, including Troxell Communications.

Facing a budgetary shortfall of nearly $470 million in the upcoming 2010-11 school year, LAUSD is considering reductions across the board that include [...]]]> http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/01/arts-advocates-mobilize-to-fight-proposed-lausd-budget-cuts.html

Facing a budgetary shortfall of nearly $470 million in the upcoming 2010-11 school year, LAUSD is considering reductions across the board that include cutting 50% of the district’s arts specialists who teach a specific cultural subject, like music or dance, in elementary schools.

The move would result in an estimated savings of $14.9 million for the 2010-11 year.

The proposal recommends eliminating the remaining arts specialists in the following school year, resulting in savings of another $14.9 million.

The figures come from a December budget proposal from the district titled “Fiscal Stabilization Plans” that has been circulating on the Internet. The LAUSD board is said to be seriously considering the proposal, though it will probably review others like it before making a decision in late May or June.

Currently, the LAUSD provides a music teacher to elementary schools for at least one day per week for the entire year, according to the document. It also provides instruction in dance, theater or the visual arts on a regular basis.

There are an estimated 350 of these specialized arts instructors teaching in LAUSD elementary schools, said Arts for L.A., a local advocacy group.

Arts for L.A. is leading a grass-roots effort to halt the proposed cuts. The group is organizing a letter-writing campaign in which they hope to send 700 letters to LAUSD board members. It is also seeking the support of major L.A. museums and performing arts institutions to adopt a resolution to send to the board.

“We understand the enormity of the budgetary situation but the arts is important to a complete education. In order for our students to compete in the workforce, they need arts education,” said Danielle Brazell, executive director of the group.

“Any time you have a core program and take it apart, the chances are slim that it will come back.”

The LAUSD has been gradually whittling away its arts education programs. In late 2008, the board suspended the Arts Community Partnership Network, which brought professional arts groups into the schools to collaborate on instruction.

An online petition organized by LAUSD elementary arts teachers was launched in November to protest the most recent round of proposed cuts. The petition has so far accumulated more than 1,500 signatures.

– David Ng

Credit: Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images