Erica Perez

Education Advocacy Group Objects to Government's Demand for Its E-mails

chronicle.com — A prominent group that advocated for tougher oversight of for-profit colleges now finds itself at the center of a legal battle with investigators from the U.S. Department of Education. The dispute stems from the fiery political fight over the gainful-employment regulation and other rules for proprietary colleges.

Ed Committee backs crackdown on interest-deferred bonds

edsource.org — These financial instruments are known as capital appreciation bonds, or CABs, and they have become common over the past decade. By deferring payments on the bonds for sometimes decades and extending the term of the bonds to 30 or 40 years, districts can end up paying interest amounting to 10 times the principal or more, instead of twice the principal as is common for a standard 25-year school bond.

Google employees face health risks from Superfund site’s toxic vapors

cironline.org — Google employees face health risks from Superfund site's toxic vapors

State’s community colleges spend millions on duplicative administrators

californiawatch.org — Carlos Puma/California Watch Richard Raasueld studies at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree.The district broke from the Desert Community College District in 1999. The region's two districts, with one college each, are among the state's smallest.

Who owns the fish?

salon.com — SAN FRANCISCO - For centuries, men like Larry Collins, a garrulous crab and sole fisherman, were free to harvest the seas. But sweeping across the globe is a system that slowly and steadily hands over a $400 billion ocean fishing industry to corporations.

Retirement systems to send members to Hawaii summit

californiawatch.org — nemuneko.jc/Flickr.com The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, site of this year's National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, has five swimming pools. When the head of one of the state's largest independent pension funds received an invitation recently for his staff to attend a conference in Hawaii, his response lacked the aloha spirit.

U. of Phoenix Expects Probation From Its Accreditor

chronicle.com — The University of Phoenix expects to be placed on probation by its accreditor later this spring, the university's parent corporation announced on Monday. The proprietary college, which enrolls students both online and at more than 100 campuses across the nation, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, one of the nation's six regional accrediting organizations.

Special Report: Class Struggle - How charter schools get students they want

reuters.com — Credit: Reuters/Mike Blake 1 of 8. Teresa Villanueva (L) and her 11-year-old daughter Laritza receive help on their charter school application from Barrio Logan College Institute counselor Jennifer Pena (R) in San Diego, California, February 7, 2013.