The Education Newsblitz: Not Taking College 'No' For An Answer

• We report that some students aren't taking no for an answer from San Diego State University: Community groups and colleges are urging students to appeal their rejection letters from the college, which stiffened its admissions rules this year.
• The Union-Tribune delves into the race to unseat San Diego Unified school board member John de Beck and the challenge he faces from Scott Barnett, who has the backing of the teachers union.
• We fact check school board member Shelia Jackson's claim that 500 jobs were cut from the central offices of San Diego Unified. The verdict? Check it out.
• Also in the U-T: Cajon Valley schools are dipping into their reserves to handle budget cuts.
• KPBS highlights a partnership between San Diego Unified and the food bank to make schools into centers where families can sign up for food stamps.
• A former Vista schools administrator will get nearly $160,000 for agreeing to retire last month, the North County Times reports.
• Also in the North County Times: A new high school in Carlsbad could be delayed again.
• Los Angeles Unified can't lay off teachers at three disadvantaged schools that were hit hard by layoffs in the past because they had less experienced teachers, a court ruled. The Los Angeles Times explains the groundbreaking ruling, which could pave the way for other school districts to offset the disproportionate impact of teacher layoffs on poorer schools.
• To better understand that court ruling, check out this L.A. Weekly piece that argues that teacher layoff rules are devastating the neediest schools.
• The Oakland Tribune blogs about how much school districts spend on teachers -- and gives you a spreadsheet to check out your local district.
• I overlooked this one yesterday: Portland schools are returning to neighborhood schooling after busing and other efforts failed to diversify schools, the Los Angeles Times writes. The idea of neighborhood schools is also in vogue with the San Diego Unified board, but parent support for magnets and busing programs is fierce.
• The Associated Press reports on another controversial bill from Arizona, this one banning ethnic studies classes.
• And a Washington Post columnist argues that the federal government should spend big on buyouts for senior teachers. Think the golden handshake that San Diego Unified and Sweetwater schools offered -- but on a massive scale.

-- EMILY ALPERT