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....
Former Cupertino college trustee drops lawsuit against district
A local community college district is no longer facing legal action from a politician who used to serve on its board. Gilbert Wong, a former Foothill-De Anza Community College District trustee and Cupertino mayor, filed a motion dismissing his lawsuit with prejudice against the district, its board members and former chancellor on Jan. 13. Wong sued...
San Jose State transgender athletes in jeopardy after federal ruling
The Biden administration’s efforts to expand Title IX policies have been struck down, resulting in a loss of protections for LGBTQ+ students. The court ruling made by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves in State of Tennessee v. Cardona erases the Department of Education’s attempt to increase protections for sex discrimination in schools as it applies...
Santa Clara school district slapped with discrimination complaint
Civil rights organizations have filed a Title VI complaint against a local school district for alleged discrimination against Palestinian students, parents and educators. Santa Clara Unified School District will be facing a federal civil rights complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education. The complaint alleges school officials engaged in or permitted actions which created...
San Jose State students tackle academic shortcomings with AI
When a team of San Jose State University business students recognized the path toward academic counseling and course curriculum was complicated and messy, they turned to AI for a solution. Gabriel Castaneda, co-founder of CollegeBot.AI, said the students launched the artificial intelligence platform as a startup company to help students navigate through their class requirements...
State bill would protect Silicon Valley students from deportation
California lawmakers want to protect students and their families from deportation amid threats from the incoming federal administration. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is sponsoring a bill from state Sen. Lena Gonzalez to protect immigrant families from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. If approved, Senate Bill 48 will establish a one-mile radius safe zone...