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Thursday, May 9, 2013

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Education Headlines

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Paperwork error halts CVUSD board recall

An effort to recall school board members in the Coachella Valley Unified School District has been halted due to a paperwork error.

Desert Sands plans to rescind 10 teacher layoffs

The Desert Sands Unified School District will rescind layoff notices for nine full-time teachers on Friday. Sherry Johnstone, assistant superintendent for personnel, said Wednesday that the district can cancel these potential layoffs because of other employees who recently announced they are retiring.

No easy fix for disappointing school lunchroom redo

A Coachella Valley middle school claims it was misled in the plans for a new kitchen facility, and now the school may be stuck with what it believes is an inferior building unless it can raise money for renovations on its own.

Fresno Unified denies charter renewal for New Millenium school

Fresno Unified trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to not renew a five-year charter for troubled New Millennium in west Fresno, agreeing with district staff and the county grand jury that the school had failed to fix itself.

Suspension rate higher for black students in Sacramento County

More black students were suspended last school year in Sacramento County than any other ethnic group, even though there are more local white, Asian and Latino students in local schools, according to new state data.

San Juan school district to investigate complaints against superintendent

San Juan Unified's school board said it will investigate nine complaints by former and current district employees lodged with the Fair Employment and Housing Commission.

California moves quickly to carry out national education standards

Carolyn Goehring is among the earliest adopters of Common Core standards, a set of national guidelines that California and 44 other states have embraced as the next big shift in teaching.

GPS will soon track Lodi Unified buses

GPS tracking systems will be installed in Lodi Unified School District buses this summer, allowing district officials to monitor routes or see if a bus is caught in traffic.

Santa Ana Unified says 'No' to new charter

Backers of a proposed charter school in Santa Ana say they will take their application to the Orange County Department of Education next, after Santa Ana Unified trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to reject their plans. Odyssey Charter Academy petitioners failed to demonstrate a sound educational program and curriculum, and did not clearly explain how pupil outcomes would be measured, the district stated in its resolution denying the application.

Temecula school board calls for bond proceeds workshop

Citing a need to delve deeper into the particulars of proposed projects, the Temecula Valley Unified School District board voted Tuesday night to schedule a workshop to discuss how best to spend millions in Measure Y bond proceeds.

Board postpones vote on salaries

The Escondido Union School District board will postpone a vote Thursday on a revised salary schedule for assistant superintendents, officials said. Board members will discuss the recommendation, but won’t vote, said Bob Leon, deputy superintendent for human resources.

Ramona teachers give approval for strike

The Ramona Teachers Association membership has approved a strike authorization measure. The vote results were released Wednesday night. The action does not mean that teachers in the Ramona Unified School District are on strike. Teachers gave permission to the union’s executive board to call a strike “when and if it becomes necessary to the teachers’ efforts to achieve a fair contract settlement” with the district, the association said.

Alisal Union School District teachers protest contract proposal

For the second time in as many months, Alisal Union School District teachers picketed outside the board of trustees meeting, claiming the district is not bargaining their contract in good faith.

Poly High principal removed

Poly High School Principal Wade Coe was put on administrative leave Tuesday, May 7, and a retired principal has replaced him. Coe wasn’t at the Riverside school Wednesday, May 8, and said he does not know why he was removed a little more than a month before graduation on June 12.

LAUSD, attorney dispute reporting of 2009 sex-abuse complaints

Los Angeles Unified officials failed in 2009 to report sex-abuse allegations against a Wilmington elementary school teacher who is now charged with molesting a dozen girls, an attorney claimed Tuesday - statements that were immediately disputed by the district.

School district finalizes closure of San Lorenzo cooperative preschool

School board members voted Tuesday night to finalize the layoff notices issued in March, a decision that will eliminate its cooperative preschool and reduce the work hours for an art teacher in the district.

West Contra Costa schools win state bond debt waiver

The state Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a debt limit waiver for the West Contra Costa schools that will allow the district to continue its $1 billion-plus school construction program.

Dana Eaton named superintendent of Brentwood Union School District

Former Brentwood educational leader Dana Eaton is coming home to lead the Brentwood Union School District as its new superintendent.

Mt. Diablo school board to unveil interim superintendent candidates next week

The Mt. Diablo school board has narrowed its list of interim superintendent candidates to two and hopes to interview the pair in closed session May 15, Board President Cheryl Hansen said.

Fensterwald: Common Core test is on track, State Board told

Four states have encountered serious glitches and system meltdowns over the past several weeks as they have moved their own state assessments online. But the head of the state-led consortium creating the Common Core tests for California and two dozen other states expressed confidence Wednesday that his organization is working closely with states and taking precautions to avoid significant problems.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013

School district politicking criticized

The San Diego Unified School District is bound by law to stop using its website to promote political positions, the county grand jury said in a report on Tuesday.

TEMECULA: School district proceeds with teacher layoffs

The Temecula Valley Unified School board authorized the layoff of more than 40 teachers at its meeting Tuesday, May 7. But board members and district administrators said they are hopeful many of the teachers will be brought back as positions open up through attrition.

Monterey Peninsula USD's interim superintendent to stay on next year

Interim Monterey Peninsula Unified School District interim superintendent Leslie Codianne will remain as the district's top administrator through the 2013-14 school year.