An East San Jose youth center that burned to the ground last year has only made the community more determined to raise it from the ashes. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Thursday voted 4-1 to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with SOMOS Mayfair and the School of Arts and Culture,...
Santa Clara University to open region’s first medical school in 100 years
Santa Clara University is entering the medical field through a major partnership with Sutter Health aimed at training future physicians in the South Bay. University and healthcare leaders announced the launch of the Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine during a Friday event outside the future campus site at 2431 Mission College Blvd. in...
Knight Foundation funds first South Bay journalism fellowship
A new journalism fellowship aimed at strengthening local news coverage and training the next generation of reporters is coming to the South Bay — supported by a $155,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The initiative brings together San José Spotlight, The Mercury News and San Jose State University in a...
San Jose State deaths raise mental health concerns
Editor’s note: The following story contains references to self harm and suicide. San Jose State University has seen two deaths by suicide within a month this year. The tragedies have opened a window into a paradox facing Silicon Valley cities and institutions: addressing public locations that result in self-harm without sparking a “contagion.” The university...
East San Jose school district changes how its leaders are elected
An East San Jose elementary school district is changing how its leaders are elected, launching the first of several public hearings that could reshape its representation. The Alum Rock Union School District is shifting from at-large to trustee-area elections, which will change how the community votes for board members in the coming years. The present formula...
East San Jose school loses charter over lack of credentialed teachers
An East San Jose charter school serving immigrant students is fighting for survival. Escuela Popular, which operates under East Side Union High School District, is staring down a looming closure after the district revoked its charter due to its teachers not being fully credentialed. The school, which provides bilingual education as well as resources and services...
Silicon Valley teachers union leader faces ‘hostile’ conduct complaint
The Santa Clara County Office of Education has placed the leader of a teachers union on administrative leave over a whistleblower complaint about “hostile” conduct — right as the union considers a strike. Association of County Educators (ACE) President Riju Krishna — who frequently speaks at Board of Education meetings to advocate for better working...
East San Jose school district audit investigation passes review
An investigation into the expenditures of an East San Jose school district has trustees exhaling — after holding their breath for months. The Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) completed its audit of Alum Rock Union School District following a “comprehensive review” of all reimbursements to determine whether district funds have been used appropriately and...
Special education cuts could strain teachers in Santa Clara County
Special education teachers in Santa Clara County are at a tipping point following a recent round of layoffs — on top of massive cuts last year that left educators managing larger classes of students with serious medical and behavioral needs. Due to declining enrollment, the Santa Clara County Office of Education plans to cut eight...
San Jose’s largest school district closes five schools
Hundreds of parents sat anxiously and silently as they waited for five board members in San Jose’s largest school district to determine the fate of their children’s future — and then the room erupted with “shame on you.” The San Jose Unified School District voted 3-2 Thursday to close five schools next school year, following...