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Costly high school project abandoned

LOS ANGELES - America's most expensive high school has flunked its last test, becoming academia's costliest white elephant. The Los Angeles Board of Education last Tuesday killed the scandal-ridden, $200 million Belmont High School project, which has been accused of cost overruns, mismanagement, and poor planning - not to mention the fact that it sits on an old oil field spewing out toxic gases. The school, located on a 35-acre site, was intended as a state-of-the-art learning center for 5,000 students to replace the old Belmont High School, which is severely overcrowded. But tests taken after work on the school had begun in 1997 showed the site emits toxic gases. The board decided it would now start looking for a new site for a new school.

California releases public school scores

SACRAMENTO - California ranked its nearly 7,000 public schools for the first time last Tuesday as part of an ambitious attempt to boost dismal test scores. Those with high numbers of minority and poor children drew the lowest marks. The Academic Performance Index is a key piece of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis's plan to turn around the state's struggling public school system - and also part of a national trend toward setting educational standards. Each school's rating, based on 1999 achievement-test scores, will help determine whether it will take part in a three-year, $96 million improvement program or share in rewards worth $146 million after the 2000 test. Schools that fail to improve within three years could be forced to close.

Teach a Child About Business Week

SPRINGFIELD, MO. - College students on campuses across the country will teach school children how business works as part of national Teach a Child About Business Week, Feb. 6 to 12. The week is sponsored by Students in Free Enterprise, a nonprofit organization that educates students about practical business knowledge. It is active on more than 700 college campuses in 48 states and 15 countries.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society

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