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Uploaded: Friday, October 12, 2012, 7:49 AM                                            
Updated: Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 7:37 AM

Student performance continues to climb in Pleasanton schools
API shows subgroups slated for improvement make big gains

by lenn Wohltmann
Pleasanton Weekly Staff

Posted by Mike, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 3:30 pm

Great work, kids, parents, teachers and all the other people who contributed to this admirable outcome.

Mike

Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Oct 12, 2012 at 6:54 pm

Congrats!!!

Posted by Without a parcel tax?, a resident of the Bordeaux Estates neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 10:55 pm

The teachers said it could not be done unless they received more money. Interesting outcome.

Posted by Parsley tax, a resident of the Bordeaux Estates neighborhood, on Oct 13, 2012 at 2:11 am

Can you please post a link where "the teachers" said that? Looks to me like they busted their behinds for our kids despite the cuts and you're just taking a cheap shot at them. Kathleen, is that you?

Posted by Just Another Teacher, a resident of the Pleasanton Meadows neighborhood, on Oct 13, 2012 at 2:43 am

Anytime an article appears on education, it seems to immediately become a parcel tax battle. It's frustrating as educators to see the constant bickering among parents, peers and community. I believe I speak for most teachers when I say teachers are going to do the best we can with whatever we have - after all, the vast majority of educators teach because we believe we can make a difference. Would increased funds help - of course. Can you think of a business or occupation where increased funds wouldn't improve programs, facilities or out-dated equipment? We have the "common core" standards looming on the horizon and frankly most of the training we are getting is what we do on our own. That's not the best way to run a business, but right now, its all we have. We as teachers will continue to do the best we can with what we have - its who we are. We celebrate the success of our students and we will continue to work to improve their education. We hope that you will join us any way you can in that effort.

Posted by Kathleen Ruegsegger, a resident of the Vintage Hills Elementary School neighborhood, on Oct 13, 2012 at 5:14 am
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Parsley, No, it wasn't me.

JAT, First, thank you. I believe the majority of our community does respect teachers and appreciates the difficult task of imparting knowledge to 30 or more students in what amounts to working in a fish bowl.

I think the bickering is the frustration of those wanting additional funding with little or no guarantee where the money will be spent versus those who would gladly give with specificity and accountability. Most businesses don't invest without specific goals and measures of success. They also know the history of where previous investments created profit or dividends or growth in the business's visibility or market.

Admittedly, some will never agree to additional funding under current (or any) conditions. It would be better to be working with teachers for long term solutions for funding education. Instead we are looking at poorly crafted Propositions like 30 and 38; and then there is 32, an attempt to force change from a different direction.

In the meantime, thank you to all the teachers who continue to give their students the best learning experiences amid the hubbub.

Posted by Luv Pleasanton, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Oct 15, 2012 at 9:39 pm

Isn't it sad we can't celebrate the success of our public schools and teachers when it is deserved.

It is all because of the adversarial relationship that develops when government doesn't act fiscally responsible and antagonizes the citizens paying the bills.

Examples include not planning properly for downturns in the economy and inhibits the ability to react responsibly in a timely manner, setting up pension plans that REQUIRE a 7.5% annual return to stay solvent and when it doesn't it forcefully takes money from our current budgets to subsidize it

Build a professional staff that does not receive monetary rewards for top performers and simply suppresses the impetus to work hard and innovate. All "innovation" is developed and forced down from highly paid ineffective govt bureaucrats.

I could go on and on ... it's too bad we can't celebrate success, because we all know it could be so much better. Too bad, as government gets stronger and stronger so does are will to fight it and thus you see the frustration from those knowing we are not getting the most from our investment.

Socialism is so invigorating ...

Posted by West Side Observer, a resident of the Oak Hill neighborhood, on Oct 16, 2012 at 9:28 am

Sometimes one must check the report in its entirety...

In this study, demographics are important as are the subgroups.