California Department of Education and State Board of Education Issue Joint Statement on Class Action Lawsuit
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael Kirst issued the following joint statement in connection with a class action lawsuit, Cruz et al. v. State of California, filed today in Oakland.
"California's education system is in the midst of a historic effort to shift authority over decision making to local school districts, empowering them to determine how best to meet the needs of the students they serve.
"While neither the California Department of Education nor the State Board of Education has had an opportunity to review the specific claims made in today's suit, we believe continuing to implement California's Local Control Funding Formula—rather than shifting authority to Sacramento—is the best way to improve student achievement and meet the needs of our schools, and we will resist any effort to derail this important initiative through costly and unnecessary litigation.
"We encourage the ACLU to continue to communicate with us at the state and, more importantly, to work with local school districts about the best ways to support local students and improve educational outcomes."
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
ACLU Sues California For 'Equal Learning Time' : NPR Ed : NPR
ACLU Sues California For 'Equal Learning Time' : NPR Ed : NPR: ACLU Sues California For 'Equal Learning Time'California high school students Briana Lamb and Cristian Gaspar are named in the ACLU's equal learning time lawsuit.ACLU SoCal/Public CounselThe American Civil Liberties Union today filed a class-action lawsuit claiming that high poverty schools in California are denying students the learni