A teachers union is joining parents in demanding San Jose’s largest school district makes schools safer. Following increased incidents of weapons on campus and social media threats post-pandemic, the San Jose Teachers Association is calling on the San Jose Unified School District to provide safe and stable schools. This year, the union is including “teaching...
Santa Clara County education office plans layoffs
Santa Clara County’s top education office is planning for a wave of firings amid questions over top-heavy management and executive assistants with six-figure salaries. Workers will be notified about their dismissal by March 15, according to a Thursday statement by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. It’s unclear how many jobs could be cut....
San Jose education leaders delay decision on school closures
The leaders of a local school district are postponing a decision to close a handful of schools. The Franklin-McKinley School District board of trustees voted 3-2 Tuesday to delay deciding which schools will close by two weeks. Board President George Sanchez and Trustees Rudy Rodriguez and Marc Cooper voted to delay the decision, while Vice...
Ex-Silicon Valley education leader splurged on staffing
A top Silicon Valley education leader had five highly-paid admins and assistants working for her — with some making nearly $200,000 each a year in public dollars meant to serve the county’s most vulnerable students. An analysis by San José Spotlight revealed an office studded with six-figure salaried assistants, strategy managers and a “senior administrator...
San Jose State could help manage Google journalism investment
A coalition of California colleges including San Jose State University could manage a landmark investment by Google and the state to fund local newsrooms. The director of San Jose State’s journalism school signed onto an informal proposal submitted last month by department leaders across several other CSU campuses. The idea could place the Cal State...
Another San Jose district plans to close schools
Another San Jose school district is set to close several campuses due to an extensive budget deficit. A consolidation advisory committee in the Franklin-McKinley School District is recommending closing three of the district’s 16 schools because of declining student enrollment, the depletion of one-time COVID funding and an almost $23 million budget shortfall. The schools...
San Jose State plans major campus redesign
San Jose State University wants to renovate its main and south campuses to make way for a projected enrollment increase of 8,000 students through 2040. The San Jose State University Campus Master Plan has several facets. It will include 2 million square feet of academic space and student support services. More than 1 million square feet...
West Valley school district changes election process
A West Valley high school district is changing how it elects board members to improve representation and rebuild community trust. The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District board of trustees unanimously approved transitioning from at-large elections to by-trustee area elections earlier this month. The change will evenly split the district into five trustee areas. Residents will only...
San Jose school districts won’t comply with ICE
Local school districts are speaking out in support of their immigrant communities as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducts raids in San Jose. With San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan confirming ICE activity on Monday, school districts are taking action to make sure their undocumented students feel safe coming to school despite the threat of deportation....
East San Jose students stage walkout over immigration raids
East San Jose high school students and immigration advocates are protesting recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in San Jose. Hundreds of students from William C. Overfelt High School in East San Jose participated in a walkout Tuesday and marched to the intersection of Story and King roads, where residents reported seeing ICE agents Sunday....