FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, March 28, 2014

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Fensterwald: Attorneys give final arguments in Vergara suit challenging laws for teacher hiring, firing

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Education Headlines

Friday, March 28, 2014

Popular math and science program reaches compromise with school district

Months after supporters of the Monterey Academy of Oceanographic Science proposed the idea of becoming a charter school, they have reached an agreement with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District that will give them some of the stability they were seeking.

Sausalito Marin City School District makes cuts, staff changes

Facing a sizeable deficit and an expiring grant, the Sausalito Marin City School District is making some cuts.

Attorneys argue value of California teacher tenure laws

Attorneys for a group seeking to eliminate tenure protection for California teachers argued Thursday that such iron-clad job security makes it almost impossible to fire an incompetent instructor.

Documents destroyed at Rialto Unified, interim superintendent says

After Judith Marie Oakes was arrested Aug. 7 on suspicion of embezzling more than a million dollars in lunch money, no one in Rialto Unified mentioned it in an email, a memo or even a Post-It Note, according to district officials.

Artesia residents concerned about ABC Unified trustee districts plan

Artesia residents expressed concern over developing districts for school board members in the ABC Unified School District at a public meeting Wednesday. In each of the three proposed maps dividing the district into seven parts, residents said Artesia wasn't well represented during the meeting at Ross Middle School.

Twin Rivers pays $225,000 settlement for 2010 incident

 Twin Rivers Unified School District has paid Ricardo Sazo $225,000 to settle a lawsuit filed in 2011 alleging excessive force and negligence by its Police Department and Officer Jason Smith.

West Contra Costa school leaders vote to boost reserves

With new state funding in the pipeline and an eye on past fiscal troubles, West Contra Costa schools trustees made a goal Wednesday night to maintain 6 percent of their budget in reserves.

Claim: Tracy principal uses parent's undocumented immigration status to keep her from reporting teacher molestation

According to a $10 million claim filed against Jefferson School District on Dec. 5, Principal Susan Moffitt said she had to protect her teacher's reputation and implied that a mother risked deportation if she reported her child's abuse to police. The mother, who is undocumented, kept quiet.

Fensterwald: Attorneys give final arguments in Vergara suit challenging laws for teacher hiring, firing

The future of tenure and other laws governing how teachers are hired and fired in California is now in the hands of Judge Rolf Treu.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Teachers say Oxnard Union offer not enough

For the second time this month, teachers and staff members of the Oxnard Union High School District pressed the school board for a higher pay increase, something they said they deserve after five consecutive years of frozen wages.

Chapter 2 for charter school group

A charter group looking to start a combined dual immersion and International Baccalaureate program on Fremont Street has submitted a petition to Stockton Unified to open the World Language Academy in fall 2015.

Tracy schools chief named

Brian Stephens, superintendent of the Delhi Unified School District in Merced County, has been named to lead Tracy Unified when longtime Superintendent James Franco retires in June.

Paso Robles superintendent to retire at end of school year

Kathleen McNamara, who led the Paso Robles school district out of near financial collapse while angering teachers who felt she forced them to make too many sacrifices, announced she will retire as superintendent after this school year.

Rowland Unified administrators, teachers remain far apart in salary talks

Rowland teachers have declared an impasse in the stalled contract negotiations with the Rowland Unified School District. The Association of Rowland Educators is asking the state to send in a mediator to handle further negotiations.

Fresno Unified teachers turn up heat over contracts

 Fresno Unified teachers and union leaders locked horns Wednesday with district Superintendent Michael Hanson over ongoing contract talks, following a rally in downtown Fresno where teachers held signs calling for higher pay and smaller class sizes.

Cheating scandal: County urges Newport-Mesa to settle with families

The county’s board of education is pushing the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to either go to court or settle with the families of five Corona del Mar High School students accused in a high-profile cheating scandal who are attempting to appeal the students’ January expulsion.

Meeting postponed again, Sweetwater teachers picket

Members of the Sweetwater Education Association picketed outside the high school district’s administration office Tuesday to call attention to their contract situation, a day when a school board meeting was canceled due to lack of a quorum.

Trustees select Duane Coleman as new head of Oceanside schools

Trustees in the Oceanside Unified School District have selected Duane Coleman, the associate superintendent of educational services, to succeed retiring Superintendent Larry Perondi.

Charter school report was wrong

The growth of charter schools in San Diego was greatly exaggerated in a report issued three months ago by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, according to the organization that issued a corrected study on Wednesday.

S.F. marijuana dispensaries could move closer to schools

Medical marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to move closer to San Francisco schools, child care facilities, parks and recreational areas under a recommendation the City

Riverbank Unified board now at full strength, all-female, majority Latina

Ana Vigil will join the Riverbank Unified School District board, bringing the now all-female panel to full strength after two resignations.

Berkeley teachers pull down 3.5 percent raise

The school district's 800 teachers will get a 3.5 percent raise and a 2 percent one-time bonus, the district and the teachers union announced Wednesday.