This story is a collaboration between San José Spotlight and Open Campus. Genesis Smith is spread thin. There aren’t enough social workers in Silicon Valley, leaving her to juggle tense encounters with parents whose children have been placed in protective custody with hour-long drives as far as Merced to check on foster placements. “If you...
San Jose high school district switches how trustees are elected
A San Jose school district is changing how its board members are elected and wants the public’s help. The East Side Union High School District has started redistricting its trustee voting areas as it switches from at-large elections. The district received a legal claim earlier this year saying existing trustee areas violate the California Voting...
Silicon Valley leaders in uproar over Office of Education mass layoffs
A growing number of Silicon Valley residents – joined by state and federal lawmakers – are questioning the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s motives for decimating scores of programs and hundreds of teaching jobs serving the region’s most vulnerable children. Teachers, labor leaders and county officials gathered outside the Office of Education Tuesday calling...
Silicon Valley schools threatened by federal funding cuts
Silicon Valley school district educators and politicians are emphasizing how federal funding cuts will hurt vulnerable students and lead to a loss of teachers. Congressmember Sam Liccardo, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Campbell Union School District Superintendent Shelly Viramontez spoke out at Rosemary Elementary School April 23 against proposed funding cuts to special education and...
Santa Clara County education layoffs unfounded, state lawmakers say
A handful of state lawmakers and Silicon Valley leaders are calling on the Santa Clara County Office of Education to reverse the layoffs of hundreds of teachers serving low-income preschoolers, migrants and special education students. The Monday letter — signed by state Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Patrick Ahrens — questions the layoffs...
State senator pushes bill for San Jose State law school
A Silicon Valley politician wants to create California State University’s first public law school and is eyeing San Jose. State Sen. Dave Cortese’s Senate Bill 550 proposes establishing a law school at San Jose State University by integrating it with state-accredited, nonprofit Lincoln Law School of San Jose. If approved, it would be San Jose’s...
Silicon Valley college district first to provide free meals
Leilany Huerta-Hernandez remembers her throbbing headaches in the late afternoons because she couldn’t afford to purchase food as a West Valley College student. Her hunger was ever-present, but she felt ashamed to ask for help. Students like Huerta-Hernandez will soon be able to cross this one worry off their list. West Valley-Mission Community College District...
Santa Clara County Office of Education appoints new superintendent
The Santa Clara County Office of Education’s embattled elected board has found a new superintendent. Board of Education Trustees appointed David M. Toston on Wednesday after five months of political instability and division following the controversial firing of former superintendent Mary Ann Dewan in October. He will begin his new role May 1. Toston was...
San Jose parents upset over special ed program consolidation
Special education students and their families will have to leave their neighborhood schools as San Jose’s largest school district consolidates classes. San Jose Unified School District is closing Special Day Class (SDC) programs at Graystone, Schallenberger and Empire Gardens elementary schools next school year due to low enrollment. The program helps students with a specific...
Silicon Valley lawmaker wants to reduce school funding inequity
State Sen. Dave Cortese wants more funding to go to underserved schools by leveling the playing field between wealthy and under-resourced districts, and is proposing a way to make that happen. For decades school funding has been based on two key factors — property taxes and school districts receiving state dollars based on school enrollment....