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My column published on Aug. 19 on Cristo Rey Jesuit High School focused on two public policy issues: Using public funds to underwrite the tuition at a Catholic high school and the procurement process that was used by the San Jose City Manager’s office. In all my columns, I have tried to share educational issues...
Funk: Why offering ethnic studies in public schools is critical to our future
California public schools serve approximately 1.7 million students of whom more than 70% are students of color and speak 90 languages. In East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD), 93% of our student population are students of color and speak 40 plus languages. California is expected to become even more diverse in the coming years....
Funk: San Jose’s contract with a private Catholic school reeks
On Aug. 6, the San Jose City Council unanimously approved a contract with Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School in the amount of $838,264 to provide work experience/paid internships for up to 24 students. The contract is paid directly to Cristo Rey to help cover the tuition cost for the students’ Jesuit education. Cristo...
Funk: How San Jose school districts are helping homeless students
Homelessness has become a daily discussion in San Jose and Santa Clara County for good reason; the 2019 homeless count reported in May revealed that from 2017 to 2019, homelessness increased by 42% in San Jose, from 4,350 individuals to 6,172 individuals. In Santa Clara County, the homeless population increased by 31%, from 7,394 people...
Funk: How to ensure students don’t fall behind this summer
I had the extraordinary opportunity to attend six of our East Side Union High School District graduation ceremonies last month. In fact, I also had the opportunity to attend my niece’s high school graduation. It is an amazing time for our graduating seniors, their families and friends. However, for an educator who oversees a large...
Funk: A look at charter school reform — what is needed?
At the end of former Gov. Jerry Brown’s tenure, charter school opponents sought relief in the “Charter Schools Act of 1992.” Specifically, school districts were seeking the ability to deny a charter based on financial stress to a district. Although no legislation was passed, the spark was generated. Within the first two months of Gov....
Funk: Are teacher strikes the answer?
As superintendent of the largest high school district in Northern California and proud leader of a very stable, professional and progressive Board of Trustees, I wonder what the impact of the recent teacher strikes across the country will be on my district and districts in Santa Clara County who face the same financial restraints. The...
Funk: Why Social Emotional Learning is needed in schools
In my twenty-nine years in education, there is one steadfast factor that has never changed, but is more apparent than ever: All social issues impact educators. Teaching is a profoundly enriching profession. The fact that parents entrust the school system to educate, protect, embrace, love, support and prepare their child for life in a democratic,...
Funk: The digital divide still haunts East San Jose students
In today’s world, it is critical that our children learn to use and master modern technology, think critically, communicate across a variety of platforms, work collaboratively and be creative with the ability to quickly adapt. In the East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) we call this our Graduate Profile. Other districts may call it...
Funk: Will Newsom fix California’s broken public education funding model?
As Gov. Gavin Newsom begins his first term, early indication shows that he will focus on universal preschool, two years of free community college and increased funding for higher education. But K-12 public education advocates will be anxious to hear how he addresses K-12 funding with enormous pressure facing school districts across California with budget...