Check back often for the latest news.

• Regents face dilemma in setting tuition rates
  Mar 7, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  This school year, students at UA and NAU saw "surcharge" fees on their bills. Board of Regents President Ernest Calderon said he thought the fees would last just one year. But ASU's proposal is to charge students a $1,025 "surcharge" next school year. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, who sits on the House appropriations committee. "The university presidents are caught in that never-ending balance of quality versus cost.
• Errors delay closure vote two months
  Mar 5, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  The notice shall include the reasons for the proposed closure and the time and place of the meeting. The school district governing board shall give notice of the time and place of the meeting. At the time and place designated in the notice, the school district governing board shall hear reasons for or against closing the school.
• Q.C. video festival tells stories of hope
  Mar 5, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  The free classes give adults from countries such as Afghanistan, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Argentina the skills to learn English, computers and GED test preparation. Three audience favorites were chosen using ballots during the video presentations. Albamar Olea made her video to show that it's never too late to learn English.
• Tech nonprofit scores $400K from Chandler
  Mar 5, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  The money will come from a city fund set aside to help private developers restore downtown buildings. A.J. Chandler Park and to widen sidewalks and enhance the corridor's landscaping. Major companies like Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) have invested billion of dollars in the city's Price Road technology corridor.
• E.V. teachers plan March4Schools rallies: Budget cuts are big concern this year
  Mar 3, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  MEA President Kirk Hinsey said teachers and students will be there. With more funding cuts there will be fewer teachers, fewer programs. It's not just a Chandler issue," Harpur said. In Chandler, he said, class sizes may increase if the budget shrinks more.
• Q.C. community education expansion on hold
  Mar 3, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  High school camps and clinics are also available. The classes were successful at some schools but not as popular at others. We've enjoyed it." Sixty students are currently enrolled in community education classes, Jacobs said.
• Tempe High student honored
  Mar 3, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  ...finalists each received a $2,000 scholarship and they are: Araly Duran, 17, Mesa Mountain View High School, Desiree Santos, 17, Coolidge High School, Gustavo Garcia, 18, Chandler Blueprint High School, Tiffany Shepard, 17, Gilbert Mesquite High School, Komatke Marysa Lewis, 17, Phoenix Ceasar Chavez High School, Chandler Buffington, 15, Queen Creek High School, Tye Youngs, 16, Scottsdale Coronado High School, Jennifer Abrahamsen, 18, Apache Junction High School. Dixon next will compete...
• The Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, Around the Town column
  Mar 3, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  Participants will attend a keynote lecture, "The 'R' word: The ethics of rationing health care," which will be presented by Joan McGregor, professor of philosophy at Arizona State University. She is a faculty member in Arizona State University's School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. Mountain Line bus service is offering free bus rides (bus routes 2 and 7) for anyone attending the event. Some services require personal documents.
• E.V. teachers plan March4Schools rallies
  Mar 1, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  MEA President Kirk Hinsey said teachers and students will be there. With more funding cuts there will be fewer teachers, fewer programs. It's not just a Chandler issue," Harpur said. In Chandler, he said, class sizes may increase if the budget shrinks more.
• Back to school: MCC sees spike in enrollment
  Feb 28, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Being unemployed, affordability was a big factor, too. Enrolling for 12 credit hours in a semester costs, on average, about $850 at MCC. The average cost at the three Arizona public universities is $3,000. McLaughlin said he's doing his best to get more training and education to be more valuable to employers.
• A.J. district board votes to shut down 2 schools
  Feb 26, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  The four remaining elementary schools will go from kindergarten through fifth grade to kindergarten through sixth grade. The remaining middle school will convert to a junior high school for seventh- and eighth-graders. The district is facing tough economic times as well as declining enrollment. The district will also put Hendrix Junior High and Frost Elementary School under one administration and turn it into an International Baccalaureate academy.
• Accused woman gives up teaching credentials
  Feb 26, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  According to court records and police reports, Sixto Balbuena, 21, stabbed Samuel Valdivia, 18, to death after Balbuena walked into Hofmann's Chandler home on April 10 to find her naked with Valdivia, who was wearing only boxer shorts. Balbuena and Hofmann were engaged, according to the police report. Hofmann taught math at El Dorado High School, a Chandler charter school where Valdivia was a senior. According to police reports, the romance between Hofmann and Balbuena...
• Accused woman surrenders teaching credentials
  Feb 26, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  According to court records and police reports, Sixto Balbuena, 21, stabbed Samuel Valdivia, 18, to death after Balbuena walked into Hofmann's Chandler home on April 10 to find her naked with Valdivia, who was wearing only boxer shorts. Balbuena and Hofmann were engaged, according to the police report. Hofmann taught math at El Dorado High School, a Chandler charter school where Valdivia was a senior. According to police reports, the romance between Hofmann and Balbuena...
• Hickman gets nod
  Feb 26, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  Harris said the board had reached consensus by about 1:30 a.m. Hickman was one of 31 applicants for the top spot, from which Kevin Brown retired over winter break. She has been in FUSD since 2007, first as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.
• Teaching about energy a breeze
  Feb 26, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  So we're going to talk to the developers.
• CCC hikes tuition 14 percent
  Feb 25, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  Spring 2010 enrollment figures have not yet been calculated, but college officials expect another increase, especially in full-time students. Fall 2009 saw CCC's headcount increase more than 25 percent, or about 1,000 students. Even with the tuition increase, though, CCC remains considerably less expensive.
• FUSD board approves use of snow day minutes
  Feb 25, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  The remaining days will be made up on days previously scheduled as student holidays. The first of those days is Friday, a day originally scheduled for staff development. -- Stem walls are coming together for the southern wing being rebuilt at Flagstaff High School. Workers are also making progress on the footings for the kitchen area and the walls in the commons for the new serving area.
• Teachers open to merit pay
  Feb 23, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  ...rewards-- good teachers get more money than average, better even more, and best yet more. "There are a lot of teachers in this district that are probably great teachers and deserve a lot more money, but the way the system works now you can't give them the money they deserve without bringing up all the mediocre teachers and even all the poor teachers to the same point." Corcoran said "true" merit pay would require an infusion of money, and can be done but with a manageable format...
• Class electives plan draws controversy
  Feb 22, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  ...the schedule at schools. The pilot five-day schedule is in its second year at Boulder Creek, Harris and Mesquite elementary schools. Highland Park Elementary School also used the pilot program last school year, but moved back this year to its previous schedule, which other Gilbert elementary schools have used for years. Under the pilot schedule, fifth- and sixth-grade band and strings students get 22 fewer hours of instruction each year. Physical education and general music are...
• Take the FUSD override quiz
  Feb 22, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun
  FUSD did not break the law, nor did it ask that the law be tweaked for its benefit. Source: Daily Sun archives; Attorney General Opinions 2009: No. The county distributed 41,590 ballots to registered voters in FUSD boundaries -- Flagstaff and beyond -- for the November election. It received 13,110 ballots back for a voter turnout of about 32 percent.
• Gilbert school briefs
  Feb 21, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Game shirts will also be sold. Pregame activities at 6 p.m. feature a 200-plus student choir from both schools singing the national anthem. Festivities will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Gilbert district school, 3900 S. Mountain Road, Mesa. There will be food, rides, door prizes, music and game booths.
• School briefs
  Feb 21, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  It's being funded through private donations and grants. The board meets at 549 N. Stapley Drive. Information: (480) 461-7230. Apache Junction, Chandler and Mesa school briefs are compiled by education reporter Michelle Reese.
• Q.C. district OKs pool partnership with Gilbert group
  Feb 19, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  ...school year. Although the contract is still being fine-tuned by lawyers, district officials say it will give the Gilbertbased swim school 100 percent financial responsibility for the pool's operation for the seven months EVO is offering swim programs to the public. EVO Swim School will start offering lessons, a swim team, adult swim and expanded adult programs at the Queen Creek pool April 5, a month earlier than last year, said David Tait, EVO owner. Enrollment is expected to...
• Science fair shows off students' work
  Feb 19, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  In addition, even if one did exist, vaccines need to be kept at cold temperatures. She would eventually like to try the experiment with human blood cells extracted from HIV patients. The fair also includes information on entrepreneurship week, with groups present to talk to community members about starting their own business.
• Small business alliance to hold health fair in Gilbert
  Feb 19, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Exhibitors will run the wellness spectrum from conventional and modern to traditional and alternative.
• Small business group to hold health fair
  Feb 18, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Exhibitors will run the wellness spectrum from conventional and modern to traditional and alternative.
• Higley begins replacing student info system
  Feb 17, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  It's a paperless program and it increases productivity." The computer system is also used by administrators and district staff, in the classroom, school office and the district office.
• GED funding cut would hit adults hard in E.V.
  Feb 15, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  He dropped out of high school at 17 to start working. Right now, a lot of them are coming back to school because they're unemployed. Jan Brewer's budget proposal to cut funding could affect GED testing in Arizona.
• Dunn touts UA campus during address
  Feb 12, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  The city of Chandler has a downtown center," Dunn said. Even so, the city is facing an anticipated $17.5 million budget deficit next fiscal year. City Manager Mark Pentz recently recommended cutting 39 occupied city jobs to help close the gap. Dunn acknowledged the city's budget woes, but said it's an opportunity to streamline.
• Mesa district to avoid April layoff fiasco
  Feb 11, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Powell will close after this school year and be converted into a community learning center.
• No teacher layoffs in Mesa district this April
  Feb 11, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Powell will close after this school year and be converted into a community learning center.
• Yuma high schools to cease sports travel
  Feb 11, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Harold Slemmer said. "It's up to the schools who have scheduled Yuma to make changes. Or if nothing can be mutually agreed upon, a violation report is sent explaining why a school could not honor its (scheduling) contract. The school that does not honor the contract would have to forfeit the contest.
• Low-income homebuyers find fewer Gilbert options
  Feb 10, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  But the single mom won't be able to buy enough house in Gilbert for her three children.
• Panel OKs church issuing $5M in bonds
  Feb 10, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  All told, the college is expected eventually to attract up to 250 college students, 450 grade-school students, and up to 80 preschoolers. Michael Sproul, senior pastor, has said he donated $125,000 by flipping a house when the market was booming and donating the proceeds to the church.
• Chandler OKs church issuing $5M in bonds
  Feb 9, 2010 — East Valley Tribune
  Michael Sproul, senior pastor, has said he donated $125,000 by flipping a house when the market was booming and donating the proceeds to the church.