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Education Headlines

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Pomona Unified parents fret closure of Pueblo School

A handful of parents went before the Pomona Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday evening to say they had heard Pueblo School is facing closure. Superintendent Richard Martinez told them a decision hasn't been made, but school district administrators plan to present a recommendation to school board members at an April 3 meeting calling for the closure of the kindergarten to eighth grade campus.

Upland Unified looking at qualified certification, budget cuts

The Upland Unified School District is looking to submit for the first time a budget to the county for qualified certification due to a potential loss of $370 per student in the next fiscal year.

Inland Empire schools divided on misconduct query

Of 19 school districts queried for the number of teacher misconduct complaints over the past five years, only five responded with a direct answer.

Humboldt schools hand out pink slips, prepare for budget reductions

Local school districts could issue as many as 85 pink slips to full-time teachers, counselors and other certificated staff this week as they prepare for the worst -- a potential countywide cut of $6.6 million in state funding.

Chico Country Day principal resigns

Almost exactly three months after an administrative disruption surfaced at Chico Country Day School, Principal Paul Weber has officially severed his ties to the school, and the school has taken the first steps toward finding a permanent replacement for him.

Fensterwald: Brown, CFT cut deal for November

Gov. Jerry Brown is halfway to having only one tax initiative on the November ballot, now that a coalition led by the California Federation of Teachers has agreed to merge its proposed tax with Brown’s in a deal that will raise more money from the wealthiest 1 percent for a longer period – with a portion of the extra money likely going to the state’s community colleges and universities.

Few Valley schools sending layoff notices

Today is the deadline for California school districts to send out teacher layoff notices, and most Valley teachers have apparently dodged the bullet.

Coaches defrauded, stole from school district, report says

Three Capistrano Unified football coaches fired last month from their full-time teaching jobs are portrayed in termination reports as scheming employees who accepted bribes from a sporting equipment company, knowingly defrauded and stole thousands of dollars from the school district, and violated at least nine state and federal laws.

Transitional kindergarten gets boost from legislators

Supporters of transitional kindergarten were claiming a bit of a victory this week after an Assembly budget subcommittee voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate a two-year kindergarten program for younger students to save $224 million.

SD Unified raises more questions about finances

The San Diego school board has once again raised concerns about its ability to meet its financial obligations.Trustees on Tuesday approved a preliminary budget that includes annual spending plans through the 2013-14 school year. At the urging of trustee Richard Barrera, the board voted 4-1 to override the chief financial officer’s recommendation that called for the San Diego Unified School District self-certify its budget plan with a positive rating.

Pioneer black educator dies

Dorothy Ella Inghram, a San Bernardino native who became the first black superintendent of a school district in California, has died. She was 106.

San Francisco schools chief announces retirement

San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia announced Wednesday that he will retire in July, ending his five-year tenure as the head of the district.

CalPERS ‘smoothing’ eases employer rate shock

CalPERS is planning a two-year phase in of a rate increase resulting from a lower earnings forecast adopted yesterday, continuing a “smoothing” policy that softens the impact of rising pension costs on deficit-ridden state and local government budgets.