Hundreds of San Jose State University students lost their on-campus jobs amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic that’s shuttered schools, businesses and forced Silicon Valley residents to stay indoors since mid-March. San Jose State became one of countless campuses across the nation to shut down following government directives to shelter-in-place. Then one of the largest private...
In Santa Clara County, school is out for the rest of the year — sort of
Parents grappling with distance learning and homeschooling across Silicon Valley have waited weeks to hear whether local classrooms will reopen before summer. On Wednesday they got an answer: no. Superintendents across Santa Clara County sent out an email to parents around the region to formally announce that school districts would not reconvene physically this school...
San Jose teachers’ union calls for resignation of Evergreen trustee Jim Zito
A local teachers’ union stormed a school board meeting Thursday calling for Evergreen School Board trustee Jim Zito’s resignation on claims he’s been “controlling and inappropriate” toward female colleagues and community members. More than a dozen teachers and supporters from the Evergreen Teachers Association (ETA) held a news conference before the meeting, where several women...
Evergreen Valley College president ousted due to sexual relationship, records reveal
Former Evergreen Valley College President Keith Aytch was abruptly placed on leave last summer and forced to resign after details about an alleged inappropriate sexual relationship emerged, San José Spotlight has learned. College trustees accepted Aytch’s resignation on Nov. 12, 2019, three months after placing him on administrative leave and hiring an investigator. A public...
East San Jose school district OKs $23 million budget cut, staff layoffs
Citing a severe lack of funding, the East Side Union High School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously in a meeting last week to cut $23 million from its budget and eliminate 125 full-time equivalent positions across the district’s 16 schools. The board also vowed to hire a third party auditor to study the numbers again...
SJSU students look to Sacramento to help low-income students
With San Jose State having one of the largest homeless student populations in California, a group of students hope to address the problem by pushing for a bill that’s stalled in the state capitol. The Student Homeless Alliance (SHA) is backing Assembly Bill 1314, which would expand Cal Grant student aid to cover more college...
San Jose program for free college gets $250K eBay donation
A program that provides free college to hundreds of underprivileged San Jose students on Monday has received a boost from a longtime local tech business. Through its foundation, San Jose-based eBay is donating $250,000 to the San José-Evergreen Community College District Foundation to support San José Promise, the program that offers up to two years...
UPDATE: State to transfer downtown property to SJSU for student, faculty housing
San Jose State University leaders, along with state and local officials, have announced a suit of new initiatives to address homelessness and housing issues at the university, including a slew of grants to help with near-term needs and a plan to redevelop a nearby state office building site into 800 to 1200 new homes. “Our...
Early education is a focus of Dewan’s ‘State of Education in Santa Clara County’
Coming to the United States from Jordan wasn’t easy for Iskander Doud. However, a Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) program ensured he didn’t fall through the cracks. “It was really hard moving here. Obviously, first of all, the language — I wasn’t able to communicate,” he said. “When I joined My Name, My...
San Jose: Panel decides two Evergreen schools will close this spring
After several weeks of discussion, an Evergreen School District committee tasked with selecting two schools to shutter before the next school year came to a decision during a meeting Wednesday. If the school district’s Board of Trustees approves the selections at its Feb. 13 board meeting, Laurelwood and Dove Hill Elementary schools will officially close after...