More than 100 Santa Clara County special education workers in violet shirts emblazoned with phrases like “Together we rise,” chanted “Hey hey! Ho ho! Unsafe classrooms got to go!” as cars blasted horns in support. The Tuesday rally is the latest action taken by SEIU Local 521, a union that represents about 700 county special education...
Santa Clara County special educators file safety complaint
The union representing approximately 700 special education workers in Santa Clara County schools has filed a complaint accusing the county’s Office of Education of refusing to implement safety measures or address understaffing that has left the workers increasingly vulnerable to attacks from the students they serve. In a Nov. 7 complaint filed with the federal...
San Jose school measures sweeping to victory
Santa Clara County voters appear to have delivered a big victory to local school districts this election, with all five education measures leading by decisive margins. The four bond measures and one parcel tax renewal are expected to provide millions of dollars for five local school districts to improve classroom space and address ongoing staff shortages,...
Santa Clara County school elections bring new leaders
Last updated 5 p.m. on Friday. The next update is expected at 5 p.m. on Saturday. New and familiar school board members are ready to fill numerous seats throughout Santa Clara County come January, making decisions that affect how hundreds of thousands of students will be educated in the coming years. With just more than...
Why test scores are plummeting at San Jose schools
Santa Clara County test scores are plummeting, especially for low-income students, and the drop goes beyond the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the disparities across low-income households with the digital divide, disproportionate loss of loved ones and housing insecurity, all factors in the state’s drop in standardized test scores. Recovering from this learning loss...
Expulsions rising in East San Jose schools
Expulsions are on the rise in one of San Jose’s largest school districts, another symptom of post-pandemic education. The East Side Union High School District had an uptick in expulsions last school year. As schools contend with the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on student behavior, the district is ensuring students who face expulsion have clear paths to...
Santa Clara County education board rushes to fill seat
Residents are sounding the alarm over an abrupt process to fill a vacant seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Education. The board, which includes seven members and represents more than 30 school districts, is looking to fill its Area 3 seat, which is being vacated by Rosemary Kamei, the councilmember-elect for San Jose...
How San Jose schools are using federal COVID funds
Three of San Jose’s largest school districts received a total of more than $155 million in federal funding to tackle COVID-19. Those dollars have served as a lifeline to schools throughout the pandemic and since, but after 2024 that well of money will dry up. The federal funds have been allocated in three rounds throughout...
Silicon Valley teachers burned out by unruly behavior
As Silicon Valley teachers stress over the lack of affordable housing and high cost of living, unruly student behavior is now part of the mix. The end result is teacher burnout. Nearly one-third of teachers cite student discipline as the worst part of the job, according to a recent UCLA study. The problem is being...
Silicon Valley schools score average on LGBTQ inclusiveness
Two Santa Clara County school districts are creating safe school environments for LGBTQ students, but a new report shows more progress needs to be made. Both Santa Clara Unified and San Jose Unified school districts received middle-tier scores according to the 2022 Equality California Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card, which rates districts on LGBTQ...