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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

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Education Headlines

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Q&A: Chris Evans, Natomas Unified superintendent, faces challenge

Chris Evans hasn't officially been superintendent of the Natomas Unified School District for a month, but already he's helped to hire a slate of new administrators and presided over a contentious school board meeting. His job won't be easy.

San Diego teachers casting votes on contract

San Diego teachers are in the thick of an election that would determine the fate of an agreement with the city school district to save nearly 1,500 jobs and keep classes manageable come September.

Fontana schools chief: 'We are devastated'

The teacher at the heart of hazing allegations at A.B. Miller High School is a good educator and "a good Christian," who loves teaching so much he took a pay cut to become one, said family and students Monday at the campus, where word of the arrests of the teacher and four students prompted shock and anger.

CalPERS reviewing administrator's pension

Amid transition in the superintendent’s office last year, Sweetwater schools finance chief Dianne Russo — set to retire — agreed to stay on. Details of that arrangement have raised questions at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

S.F. schools face big cuts, furloughs under budget

San Francisco schools will get about $567 million to educate the city's 56,000 students this next academic year. It won't be enough. District officials say they'll need $30 million more than they'll get from local, state and federal sources to cover the $597 million needed for payroll, student programs and administrative costs.

Chico schools agree to girls sports changes to comply with federal regulations

In response to charges that there were inequities between boys and girls athletic programs in the Chico Unified School District high schools, the district has agreed to add to its list of interscholastic teams and upgrade some facilities.

Jurupa Valley school district budget OKs budget

A somber Jurupa Unified School District board of education on Monday, June 25, approved a $153.7 million budget for the 2012-13 school year — a budget that will force the district to dip into its reserves to make up a nearly $14 million deficit.

Audits removed from illegal school fees bill

Proposed legislation aimed at ending illegal fees in public schools will no longer require superintendents to audit their schools to ensure compliance.

LAUSD board to vote on $6.3B budget Thursday; after-school care for 50,000 kids nixed

The Los Angeles Unified board is poised Thursday to approve a $6.3 billion budget for 2012-13 that salvages some adult and early-education programs but shortens the school year, eliminates thousands of jobs and wipes out after-school care for at least 50,000 youngsters.

Fensterwald: Not one, but two 160-day minimum years

Call it a last-minute clarification or a June surprise, another piece of bad news: A trailer bill that the Legislature will vote on Wednesday permits districts to slash the school year by an additional three weeks for the next two years, if voters reject Gov. Brown’s tax increase in November

Budget tweaks could help Gov. Jerry Brown make his case for tax hikes

Two days before California lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a new state budget, details emerged Monday on new provisions that could help Gov. Jerry Brown's tax initiative at the polls. One of the biggest surprises was language propelling all bond measures and constitutional amendments to the top of the ballot, likely ensuring that Brown's tax hike on sales and upper-income earners will take the favorable lead spot on a November ballot chock full of voter questions.
Monday, June 25, 2012

Parents oppose San Diego Unified plan to cut school year

Opposition is mounting to San Diego Unified’s tentative agreement with its teachers union to save jobs because the deal lays the groundwork to cut the school year by up to 19 days - eliminating about a month of instruction time for students.

For Sale: San Diego school property

The San Diego school district is poised to sell seven properties to generate scarce revenue and balance its budget.

San Diego school board commits deal to save jobs, warns of layoffs next year

To demonstrate its commitment to a deal with the teachers union to save nearly 1,500 jobs, the San Diego school board voted Friday to approve the agreement should teachers vote to accept it in an upcoming election.

Test scores drop after state rule change

The Lake Elsinore Unified School District’s standardized test scores, recently lauded as some of the most improved in Riverside County, have dropped significantly because of a change in state rules.