News Impacting CA School Districts Through December 11
Federal News
The Assembly Committee on Education pushed forward a bill ABX5-8 Wednesday, December 9th, favored by unions and effectively shut down a bill SBX5-1 supported by some education advocates and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to veto the Assembly’s “Race to the Top” bill if it is sent to his desk.
ABX5-8, would require that at least 80 percent of dollars from the Race to the Top be reserved for school districts. That’s 30 percentage points more than the minimum of 50 percent that the federal regulations call for. That would mean a lot less money for the Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and the state Department of Education, which may have been coveting a very green Obama Christmas.
One provision in SBX5-1 that’s drawn opposition from the state school boards association and others would give parents in low-performing schools the right to send their children to a better school anywhere, as long as there’s room for them. Under current law, which was just renewed, districts can choose to accept students from other districts’ low-performing schools but can’t be forced to. The Republican governor and a top Democratic lawmaker have united behind legislation that would give parents the authority to trigger major reform at a persistently low-performing school.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the final requirements for $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement grants to turn around the nation’s lowest performing schools. The applications are now available at http://www.ed.gov/programs/sif/applicant.html and are due into the Department of Education by Feb. 8, 2010.
Sacramento News
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced a multiagency effort to distribute millions of protective masks and gloves to schools throughout California to help prevent and mitigate the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus and other influenza outbreaks.
Reforming State and Local Governance
Several progressives expressed concern that neither the set of initiatives put forth by California Forward, nor the constitutional convention package sponsored by Repair California, would amend the Prop. 13 framework on taxation in a way that would allow dramatic political change.
School District Impacts
As school districts across the state approve their 2009/10 First Interim fiscal reports, the grim reality of ongoing reductions to education funding until 2014 is triggering actions of school closures, employee furloughs, early retirement incentives, proposed pay cuts and elimination of programs like adult education.
Los Angeles Unified School District
A somber Los Angeles Unified school board approved a budget plan Tuesday that calls for the elimination of more than 5,000 district positions over the next two years.
The plan includes several cost-cutting proposals to help the district close a projected budget deficit of $1.2 billion through 2012, but all included some kind of employee pay cuts to prevent layoffs.
Approving the plan 6-1, board members denounced the cuts that would include layoffs of more than 1,400 teachers, nearly 1,000 janitors and maintenance workers and 520 school office workers, but said they had no other choice unless employees agree to some concessions.
Riverside Unified School District
Next school year, 124 Riverside Unified teachers in kindergarten through third grade will lose their jobs and third-grade class sizes will increase to 30 students.
Corona Norco Unified School District
The Corona-Norco Unified School District will offer an early retirement package to teachers as it tries to cut $18 million from the 2010-11 budget.
Clovis Unified School District
Clovis Unified School District’s board is getting an early start on its budget for next year by making $10.8 million in cuts going into next July. the board voted 7-0 to make the $10.8 million in cuts. About $4.5 million is going to be saved because of the district’s early retirement incentive offered to employees. There were 115 employees who took the retirement bonus.
Alum Rock Unified School District
Despite intense debate and the impassioned pleas from the community, trustees of the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District decided to close Pala Middle School next year.
Orange Unified School District
Riverdale Elementary will close next fall as part of an effort by Orange Unified to cut $9 million from the budget. The Orange Unified School Board also voted unanimously to eliminate funding for sports transportation, increase bus pass fees by $60, eliminate busing for students in the Gifted and Talented program, cut the elementary instrumental music programs, eliminate elementary summer school and increase class sizes.
Anaheim Union High School District
Anaheim Union High School District trustees on Thursday approved a preliminary spending plan for the 2010-11 school year that calls for $25.9 million in budget cuts that would wipe out adult education and summer school. The cutbacks, which also would pare counseling and library services, psychologists and custodians, were approved unanimously.
School Districts in San Bernadino County
More San Bernardino County school districts are using employee furloughs to trim budgets.
Riverside Unfied School District
California’s budget crisis is forcing educators and legislators across the state to reconsider how schools operate, Assemblyman Brian Nestande told the Riverside school board.
Salinas Union High School District
The Salinas Union High School District is bracing for another round of cuts as the district faces a $4.6 million deficit next school year. Closing the deficit could mean laying off about eight teachers and a yet to be determined number of secretaries, receptionists, maintenance workers and even an assistant principal. The district will also try to negotiate with the teacher’s union and other unions the possibility of having another round of unpaid furloughs. A number of student programs are also at risk of being cut, according to board reports.
Paradise Unified School District
Budget problems continue to plague the Paradise Unified School District and drastic changes must be made in the next few years to stay afloat. The district is projected to expend $1.8 million more than what is received this year alone, followed by over- expenditures of $2.2 million in 2010-11, $2 million in 2011-12 and $2 million in 2012-13.
Capistrano Unified School District
Teachers angry at the Capistrano Unified School District’s proposal to cut their pay by 10% held a rally Saturday and Wednesday to protest the move.
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