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The article offers information on faetures, performance, and motoring issues of Volkswagen camper van with reference to its use in California. Topics discussed include latest model based on the current-generation T6 Transporter; split-screen in Venice Beach to show how Volkswagen has increased in size; and Turning seats into a bed next to the high-spec kitchen in California’s main cabin area.

The article reports that U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has requested that teacher evaluations reflect what occurs in the classrooms at the National Association of Elementary School Principals' and the National Association of Secondary School Principals' conference. He discussed California's state laws that prohibit combining student data and teacher outcomes. The principals' groups response to Duncan's comments and the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act are discussed.

An interview is presented with Superintendent Terry Grier of the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) in California. Grier says that his first priority on coming to SDUSD was to create a three-month entry plan that included many school visits. Grier says that the three things needed to ensure that educational change takes hold are team building, commitment, and goal unity. When asked about how similar running a school is to a business, Grier says that the end results are different.

The article discusses a system in California to record and track student data. The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System could be used as a model for similar systems in other states. The U.S. Department of Education is demanding that states have a way to accurately report graduation rate data. Keric Ashley of the California Education Department discusses how the system works in theory, how it is used in practice, and the distribution of personal identification numbers.

The article focuses on a plan which was released by California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell in an effort to meet Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's statewide eighth grade algebra mandate. The plan would expand existing programs, increase professional teacher development and enhance teacher recruitment and retention.

The article discusses a report on dropout rates issued by the California Education Department utilizing individual student data. The report utilized a system proposed by U.S. education secretary Margaret Spellings to offer more accurate data on graduation rates by tracking individual students using identification numbers. The report indicated that African American students had the highest dropout rates.