[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Duane E. Campbell
Professor of Education
California State University Sacramento

The California budget is a mess- at least a $15 billion deficit.

About half of California’s schools are in a mess: California’s students rank 48th out of the states in 4th grade reading on the NAEP, 47th in math, and 43rd in science. California ranks 48th in 8th grade reading on the NAEP, 45th in math, and 42nd in science.

That is, our schools are in crisis, particularly our schools serving Black, Latino and economically disadvantaged students. And, after 20 years of “school reform,” there has been no real progress.

So what is proposed in the Governor’s budget? Well first he proposes to cut $4.1 billion from the schools. This will increase class size, eliminate counselors and lead to teacher layoffs. The Governor would also cut health care to some seniors, the disabled, and children.

by Denise [courtesy of Blog for America]

Today, April 25th, is Arbor Day, a day to celebrate trees.  I am writing to you today on behalf of the Nature Conservancy, an organization dear to my heart.  Thanks to thousands of caring supporters, more than 271,000 trees have been sponsored through The Nature Conservancy’s ambitious Plant A Billion campaign launched earlier this month.

Through the Plant A Billion project, where one dollar plants one native tree, The Nature Conservancy is working with partners in Brazil to protect and restore the Atlantic Forest, one of the world's biggest and most endangered tropical forests.

This is one of several Nature Conservancy projects currently underway to reverse deforestation and reestablish the great native rain forests that are the lungs of the earth.  Just one dollar plants a native tree that will remove thousands of pounds of carbon from the atmosphere over our lifetime. 

I’ve set a personal goal of raising $1,000 this year for the Conservancy to plant 1,000 trees.  Together, a little bit at a time, we can plant a thousand trees that will sequester tons of carbon, helping to offset our personal carbon footprint and reduce our role in climate change.  Amazing how such a small investment can do so much over a lifetime!  Please join me in celebrating Arbor Day by making a donation today through the Nature Conservancy’s secure contribution site:

by Denise [courtesy of Blog for America]

To restore native rain forests and offset the effects of climate change, earlier this month The Nature Conservancy initiated an ambitious fundraising campaign to plant 1 billion trees in the Atlantic Forest on the coast of Brazil.  Through years of accelerating deforestation, the Atlantic Forest has been reduced to only 7% of its former size.  It takes the Conservancy just one dollar to plant one tree.  In the three weeks since the campaign was launched, the Conservancy has raised over $252,000 - enough to plant an impressive 252,000 new trees.  Restoring the Atlantic Forest with 2 billion trees over the next several years will reestablish a crucial carbon sink.  Won’t you join me in celebrating Earth Day by supporting The Nature Conservancy’s Plant A Billion campaign?  As little as $10 or $20 will plant a small grove of trees that will create a lifetime of carbon sequestration.  Please donate whatever  you can to this worthy and necessary cause.  It's quick.  It's easy.  Just click the picture below: