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California teacher tenure, dismissal challenged in lawsuit |
Education Headlines
Monday, January 27, 2014
FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.
Teacher union gets 3.5 percent raise
The Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association has approved a Bakersfield City School District contract revision that gives the union its first raise since the 2007-08 school year.Three Simi Valley schools are safe from closure, but fate of 4th is unclear
While the Simi Valley Unified School District board backed away from closing three elementary schools, a fourth school is still waiting to hear if it will get much-needed but expensive repairs.API school test scores expected to vanish in California for 2 years — maybe forever
Academic Performance Index scores, the cornerstone of the state’s accountability system in K-12 education, are expected to take a two-year sabbatical beginning this year. And when the API scores return — assuming they do — they’ll be a markedly different beast.Bond refinancing by Coachella Valley Unified School District reduces taxes
The Coachella Valley Unified School District has saved taxpayers about $2.55 million by refinancing bonds, reducing property taxes for most east valley property owners by a few dollars per year.Despite cold classrooms, 140 HVAC units sat idle at Twin Rivers
As Twin Rivers Unified School District students shivered in cold classrooms, 140 brand-new HVAC units worth $3 million sat idle for years. Fifty-three heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units languished on a campus that never opened. Dozens of units purchased for aging Grant Union High School were never installed and remain in storage.New school superintendent sees potential in Denair; feeling’s mutual
The Denair Unified School District’s next leader takes the helm with a budget still in the red and relationships frayed after 18 months of dismay and discord. But incoming Superintendent Aaron Rosander said the community will emerge stronger.California teacher tenure, dismissal challenged in lawsuit
In a potentially landmark case, a Silicon Valley-based group, Students Matter, is challenging the state's tenure, dismissal and layoff laws for teachers.Parents' campaign leads to reforms at Cudahy elementary school
City Council, teachers union and parents credit activist efforts with the Los Angeles Unified School District's decision to reassign the school principal.Frey: New report fuels fears of decline of regional occupational programs
A new report has raised concerns about the future of regional occupational programs that are geared to helping high school students explore career options and be prepared to enter the workforce after graduation.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Feds to investigate Loleta school; claim alleges discrimination, student abuse
The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights is launching a formal investigation into allegations of racism and discriminatory treatment of Native American students made against the Loleta Union Elementary School District.Salinas charter school board holds off on reduction plan
The governing board at Oasis Charter School in Salinas has postponed action on a plan to eliminate the middle school program. A group of parents said they were stunned by the initial proposal and object to eliminating the middle school grades. About 40 of the school’s 250 pupils are in the seventh and eighth grades.Brown urges locals to 'shoulder .. the big responsibility'
Gov. Jerry Brown made no promises Thursday, but said some flexibility in funding guidelines could allow more money for public safety and education programs in Monterey County.Community groups pressure Fresno Unified School District on new spending plan
Concerned civic groups urged Fresno Unified officials Thursday to be more transparent and collaborative when it comes to spending new state education funds.Brea district sells 18-acre former high school site for $25 million
A $25 million offer was accepted by the Brea Olinda Unified School District board Wednesday to sell the 18-acre site of its former high school to a real-estate company in a move that foregoes a public auction set for Monday and paves the way for the district to invest in technology upgrades.Sacramento City district trustees vote to tighten bylaws over missed meetings
Sacramento City Unified School District trustees voted unanimously Thursday night to tighten their bylaws after discovering the district was paying thousands of dollars to board members for missed meetings in apparent violation of state law.Teachers to vote on contract in troubled Denair district
Teachers will cast their votes by Tuesday on a three-year contract with a 7 percent retroactive pay cut for the current school year, in line with a fact-finder’s recommendation for a solution to the district’s dire financial situation.California low in education spending, high in welfare
California spent a below-average proportion of its state budget on education in 2012, vis-à-vis other states, but had one of the nation's highest relative levels of welfare spending, according to a new Census Bureau report.Fensterwald: Lawsuit challenging teacher tenure, seniority protections goes to court next week
The trinity of teachers’ rights in California – tenure, seniority and due process in dismissals – will be under attack next week in a trial in Los Angeles with statewide impact and national interest.
Thursday, January 23, 2014