#school-committee-vote

#school-committee-vote

John Kaehny has written and successfully lobbied for the passage of state and New York City laws related to government transparency and accountability, including the first open data law in the world in 2012.

"She wants to regain stable health so she can thoughtfully and responsibly consider her options," her office told ABC7 Eyewitness News in a statement announcing her leave of absence and addressing the condition of her mental health.

Keep state as close as possible to where it's actually used. Lift it when multiple components need it or you need to coordinate behavior between components.

Parents allege that the Sequoia Union High School Board circumvented the state's open meeting laws by discussing the school's closure in private text messages, which they claim violates the Brown Act.

The last three months have been tumultuous in the district. The community was divided by a surprise move in January to add ethnic studies to the high school curriculum, a class that Chinese and Jewish families felt was discriminatory. When new board member Rowena Chiu said publicly she felt bullied by other "woke" school board members for questioning the class, all hell broke loose.

Members of the Dáil's Education Committee stated that Irish curriculums are 'overloaded' and must be reduced, advocating for a focus on nature and outdoor activities.

The Palo Alto Unified School District is in the middle of at least 11 different lawsuits, including cases that allege unchecked bullying, racist attacks, injured students, inadequate special education and retaliation by district leadership.

An announcement on whether New York City schools will close Tuesday will be made later Monday afternoon, Mayor Zorhan Mamdani said in an interview with News 12.

Portland's transition to a new form of government last January brought new practices and procedures for the City Council. Among the largest changes, impacting both the Council and members of the public, was the introduction of eight policy committees. The committees, which considered topics including transportation, climate, finance, homelessness, and public safety, were intended to provide a focused venue for councilors to introduce legislation and hold conversations on specific topics, as well as to hear public testimony.

Cuts that hurt are obvious: layoffs, program closures, college closures, furloughs, deferred maintenance, pay freezes, travel freezes, etc. It's a well-worn playbook at this point. Most of the moves in this category involve either attacking employee compensation, which causes obvious pain, or putting off necessary investments and living with gradual declines in quality.

Local election administrators have warned that councils face "an uphill struggle" to be ready in time for the May local elections after the government reversed its plan to delay some votes. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had initially approved delays in 30 council elections in England until 2027. But the government abandoned plans to postpone ballots after advice was given that the move could be unlawful.

Ontario's education minister placed a seventh school board under supervision Wednesday in order to prevent dozens of teachers from being laid off, he says, and he is planning to soon take control of another board over financial concerns. Paul Calandra announced that he has put Peel District School Board under supervision and is giving the York Catholic District School Board two weeks to make a case for avoiding the same fate.

Protecting students from immigration raids was a priority for state legislators this year, resulting in several new laws, including one prohibiting school staff from allowing immigration officers to enter campuses or providing student or family information. The most controversial of the new laws is one meant to target antisemitism, although amendments made during the legislative session resulted in a bill that defines discrimination more broadly.

The offices "will ensure parents have a direct way to raise concerns, get help, and find solutions faster," Education Minister Paul Calandra said in a message to TDSB families last November.

Los Alto School District board trustee Vladimir Ivanovic is resigning in protest over the district's plan to build a new campus for Bullis charter school, a move he believes will impose a large tax burden on residents and jeopardize future bond measures. The long-time trustee announced his decision at the board's meeting on Jan. 12, and submitted his resignation letter. Ivanovic, whose four-year term was set to expire in December, will stay in the position until March 11.

Schools are back in session this week after a much needed break for all, and Alameda Unified School District officials are happy to report that our campuses weathered the deluge of rain relatively well. We hope that everyone in the AUSD community stayed dry, cozy and not too stir-crazy during this extended stretch of rain! A few updates: First, at the Dec. 9 AUSD Board of Education meeting, Board Member Ryan LaLonde became the board's new president,

Jack Hamner, the president of the East Side Teachers Association, said 70% of the district's students are English language learners, homeless, foster youth or low income and can't afford to lose access to counselors, social workers and advisors. Those are some severely needy kids. They need their support systems more than ever, Hamner said. The positions they're cutting, these are the mental health and wellness services that our kids desperately need.

A group of students who are eager to learn about advanced math are asking for multivariable calculus, and teacher Daniel Nguyen has obtained a master's degree in order to teach it. The school board told Paly to add the class on Dec. 16, but the teachers council said no. Apparently the school is run by a committee of teachers, called the council of administrators and instructors, who oppose adding the class.

The move is in accordance with Assembly Bill 1390, which allows for increases between $600 and $4,500 per month, based on the average daily attendance in the prior school year. Previously, the rate was $60 to $1,500 per month. Four of the five members of Antioch's board of trustees voted to increase their pay, which will impact the district's general fund $96,000 more annually.

But as schools seek to navigate into the age of generative AI, there's a challenge: Schools are operating in a policy vacuum. While a number of states offer guidance on AI, only a couple of states require local schools to form specific policies, even as teachers, students, and school leaders continue to use generative AI in countless new ways. As a policymaker noted in a survey, "You have policy and what's actually happening in the classrooms-those are two very different things."