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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

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Breaking: Board Votes to Oust Monica Garcia From Presidency - LA School Report




Education Headlines

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Lincoln Unified focuses on special-needs adults

Responding to a need that has been growing steadily for years, Lincoln Unified School District has moved to establish a program that will serve the district's young adults with special needs by preparing them to work and live with greater independence.

Wiring students at school and home Stockton USD goal

Following up on last year's large-scale purchase of computers for the district's K-5 classrooms, Stockton Unified School District Superintendent Steve Lowder said administrators are working on acquiring more technology for students from low-income backgrounds.

West Covina Unified avoids layoffs through retirement incentives

The West Covina Unified School District appears to be on its way to balancing its budget without teacher layoffs.

Kennedy readying to take the reins

Early on in Steve Kennedy’s career as an education administrator, staff shortages pushed him into a sixth-grade woodshop class as a long-term substitute. It wasn’t exactly a win-win situation -- certainly not for any future woodworkers in the San Diego area middle school class.

Hesperia schools chief: Tolerance of gays is a 'moral imperative'

The acting superintendent of Hesperia Unified has cut his spring break short to deal with charges that one of the district's schools is discriminating against gay students.

Chula Vista district can’t avoid all layoff notices

While the Chula Vista Elementary School District has not issued any pink slips to tenured teachers in the past five years, the tradition of the March layoff notice has not completely bypassed the district.

Fremont school district, teachers go back to the table for mediated contract talks

Fremont teachers and the school district will return to the bargaining table next week under the supervision of a state mediator, more than two weeks after teachers declared an impasse in stalled contract talks.

Santa Clara County Board of Education trustee Darcie Green resigns

Darcie Green, appointed to the Santa Clara County Board of Education only five months ago, resigned her seat Tuesday after uncertainties about her eligibility surfaced based on where she lives

East Bay assemblywoman introduces two bills aimed at protecting schoolchildren

With local school districts failing time and again to recognize and report suspected child abuse, an East Bay assemblywoman is introducing legislation to beef up training of school employees and give administrators more power to remove abusive teachers.

LAUSD can balance budget this year, but potential losses loom

Los Angeles Unified can balance its budget this year thanks to a windfall from voter-approved Proposition 30, but needs lawmakers to pass Gov. Jerry Brown's new student funding formula to keep its coffers filled next year, district officials said Tuesday.

Legislation would create career-oriented curriculum for students

California’s top Senate Democrat has introduced a bill that would provide career-training for students. Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said his legislation would create a skilled workforce to help businesses finance partnerships with schools.

Assembly committee rejects adult education program shift

An Assembly budget subcommittee voted Tuesday to reject Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to shift adult education responsibilities from K-12 school districts to the California Community Colleges system.

Fenstwerwald: Alternative bill to speed up teacher dismissals introduced

A year ago, Assemblymember Joan Buchanan cast a deciding vote killing a bill that would have pared back the process for firing teachers and administrators alleged to have done egregious acts against children. On Tuesday, Buchanan, who now chairs the Education Committee, introduced her own bill, which takes a different tack while, she says, achieving the same goal.

Report stirs debate on Oakland teachers

An independent group that evaluated policies in Oakland's public schools will release a report Wednesday calling for an overhaul of the way the district compensates teachers and holds them accountable for their performance.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Lennox School District authorizes top-heavy round of budget cuts

The Lennox School District is undergoing a top-heavy round of layoffs that will eliminate at least 20 managers and specialists, as well as demote the district's three assistant superintendents, whose salaries are slated for a slashing.

Board OKs millions of dollars in payments to Lucia Mar school district

The Lucia Mar Unified School District is one step closer to receiving millions of dollars over the next two decades from the former Pismo Beach Redevelopment Agency.

Berkeley school board president quits to avoid conflict of interest

School board President Leah Wilson will resign her post March 31, citing a potential conflict of interest with her new job as Court Executive Officer of Alameda County Superior Court.