Education
Thursday, January 26, 2023
College Enrollment Decline Leads to Funding Changes for Underperforming Cal State Schools
Posted By Mikhail Zinshteyn/CalMatters on Thu, Jan 26, 2023 at 8:41 AM
It’s a stunning reversal of fortune for the 23 campuses of the country’s largest public university system, which have collectively lost 27,000 students in two years — part of a national wave of declining college enrollment.
In fall 2020, Cal State posted its highest-ever enrollment, a capstone to almost ceaseless growth in its six decades as a unified system. Now, it’s home to 25,000 fewer students than the state says it should educate.
That’s despite a deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom that the system continue to attract more Californians to its campuses — and graduate them at higher rates — in exchange for increased state funding.
“The California State University is facing an unprecedented moment in its 62-year history,” said Steve Relyea, executive vice chancellor and chief financial officer for the system, at this week’s Board of Trustees meeting.
Friday, January 6, 2023
Rio Dell Schools Reopening Tuesday
Posted By Iridian Casarez on Fri, Jan 6, 2023 at 2:26 PM
On Monday, Jan. 9, RDSD will be holding an in-service day for its staff to prepare for the reopening of schools and the return of students. During the briefing, staff will be given information about resources available to Rio Dell students and families that were affected by the earthquakes, including mental health resources. Staff will also assess the needs of families with red-tagged homes in the community to determine how school staff can assist in their return to school on Tuesday.
"The earthquakes have had a significant impact on RDSD families and staff, with at least 15 families losing their homes or experiencing home damage and eight staff and board members affected," a release states. "RDSD thanks the community for its patience and understanding during this challenging time and will continue to keep the community updated on the situation and any further developments."
RDSD Superintendent Angela Johnson asked anyone with questions or seeking more information to call the district at (707) 764-5694.
See the full press release below:
Rio Dell School District to Welcome Students Tuesday
RIO DELL, CA - On Monday, January 9th, the Rio Dell School District (RDSD) will hold an in-service day for its staff to prepare for the reopening of schools following the earthquakes that struck the community on December 20th and January 1st. RDSD, which serves students in grades TK-8 at Eagle Prairie Elementary and Monument Middle School, was forced to close its schools on December 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd due to the damages sustained in the earthquakes. Superintendent, Angela Johnson reports that students will return to class on Tuesday, January 10th.
Since the earthquakes, RDSD has hired contractors and structural engineers to assess the damages and ensure the safety of its buildings. Classroom buildings have been given the "all clear,". Inspectors have evaluated the school buildings to ensure they are safe for occupancy.
The earthquakes have had a significant impact on RDSD families and staff, with at least 15 families losing their homes or experiencing home damage and 8 staff and board members affected.
During the briefing on January 9th, staff will be informed about resources available to Rio Dell students and families, including mental health resources, and will assess the needs of families with red-tagged homes in the community to determine how school staff can assist in the return to school Tuesday, January 10th.
RDSD thanks the community for its patience and understanding during this challenging time and will continue to keep the community updated on the situation and any further developments.
For more information, please contact Superintendent Angela Johnson at the Rio Dell School District at (707) 764-5694.
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Colleges Experiment with Restorative Justice in Sexual Assault Cases
Posted By Oden Taylor/CalMatters and Felicia Mello, CALmatters on Wed, Dec 28, 2022 at 10:18 AM
If Fulcher, the school’s Title IX director, launches an official investigation, the survivor could be asked to recount their trauma and cross-examined about it in a live hearing. Their alleged assaulter could be expelled.
But for the past year, survivors at Occidental have had another option. They can participate in a restorative justice conference with the person who harmed them, in which that person hears about the impact of their actions, takes responsibility and commits to a plan to help repair the harm — and prevent it from happening again.
The conferences draw on a long tradition of restorative justice, a philosophy that eschews punishment in favor of coming up with collective solutions to address violence and harm within a community.
A handful of California colleges have recently begun using restorative justice in cases of sexual assault and harassment, or are seriously considering it. And Fulcher said it’s a path that an increasing number of survivors at Occidental are choosing.
“This age group, at least at Oxy, is less interested in punitive options,” she said.
One argument for making restorative justice available is that it may encourage more survivors to come forward. An overwhelming majority of survivors of campus sexual violence never file a report, and of those that do, few choose to pursue disciplinary action, said David Karp, director of the Center for Restorative Justice at the University of San Diego.
“This age group is less interested in punitive options.”
Alexandra Fulcher, Title IX coordinator, Occidental College
Title IX rules passed under the Trump administration made the formal complaint process less attractive for sexual assault survivors by requiring that they be cross-examined in live hearings, while at the same time giving schools more flexibility to pursue informal resolutions, Karp said. (The Biden administration has proposed new rules that would give colleges flexibility in whether to require cross-examination.)
Monday, November 7, 2022
Cal Poly President Apologizes for Title IX Comments
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Mon, Nov 7, 2022 at 4:10 PM
The message came via email to all students and staff with a separate letter to the campus community regarding Title IX signed by the presidents of Associated Students and the Staff Council, the chair of the University Senate and Jackson. That letter touts the campus' efforts to better comply with Title IX despite "significant past inertia and historical challenges." In his personal message, Jackson apologizes for failing to properly articulate his "true message of support" for those who have experienced harm on campus.
"I have heard from many students, staff, and faculty that my choice of words during the Fall Welcome presentation was heard and perceived differently than I intended," Jackson wrote. "My goal had been to illustrate the complexity of laws and policies regarding confidentiality and privacy, and to stress that the campus was obligated to abide by these laws and policies while managing Title IX investigations. I referred to these as 'secrets' and I now understand that many who have been harmed by the misconduct of others heard this as my not caring or as the campus seeking to hide these incidents to protect its image. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Jackson went on to say that he's spent his entire career in higher education and worked diligently to "ensure campuses are supportive and function as positive communities."
"That said, I failed in articulating my true message of support, and because of that, I am sorry," Jackson wrote. "I want everyone on our campus to thrive, to feel supported, and to know that I care about you and your University cares about you."
Thursday, November 3, 2022
Eureka High Volunteer Coach Arrested for Alleged Child Sex Abuse
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Thu, Nov 3, 2022 at 11:12 AM
Eureka City Schools sent out a news release today stating the district was aware of Nathan Thomas Hentley's arrest. He also served as a walk-on coach for boys basketball last year.
"Effective immediately, Hentley’s volunteer status and coaching status with ECS is revoked," the release states. "There is an ongoing investigation with the Fortuna Police Department and, at this time, there is no indication of any ECS students being involved."
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Universities Can’t Yank Financial Aid from Students Who Get Private Scholarships, New Law Says
Posted By Alyssa Story/CalMatters on Wed, Nov 2, 2022 at 10:11 AM
“I knew that my family wasn’t going to be able to pay, or help in any way financially,” said Samaniego, now a senior, “so I started applying to scholarships everywhere.”
As a low-income student, she qualified for a federal Pell Grant and a state Cal Grant, but still had a substantial balance to cover. After hours of applying, writing essays, and interviewing, she received a $5,000 award for her first year from a private foundation that aimed to help students who faced barriers to college.
But then, Samaniego said, she got some unwelcome news from Cal State Fullerton’s financial aid office: Adding the scholarship to her financial aid package would reduce the amount of aid she was getting from the university.
Confused and disappointed, Samaniego decided not to accept the scholarship she’d worked hard to earn.
“I didn’t know a single thing about higher education. I didn’t know a single thing about financial aid,” said Samaniego, who is the first in her family to attend college. “I got all this money, and then I had to make some really difficult decisions.”
What Samaniego says she experienced has a name: scholarship displacement. The practice occurs when a student receives a scholarship after their initial financial aid award and their college or university reorganizes their institutional aid package, often leading to a net zero gain for the student. And starting next fall, it will be banned in California for low-income students who qualify for a Pell Grant or for state financial aid under the California Dream Act.
California is one of five states in the U.S. with such laws, and only the second in the nation to bar scholarship displacement at both public and private colleges and universities.
Friday, October 28, 2022
CDC’s Move Paves Way for California to Require School COVID Vaccines — But Lawmakers Have Given Up for Now
Posted By Elizabeth Aguilera, CALmatters on Fri, Oct 28, 2022 at 12:01 PM
The addition of the COVID-19 vaccine to the CDC’s recommended vaccines for kids is not a mandate for states’ school attendance requirements. Any additions to California’s list must be made by the state Legislature or the state Department of Public Health. In the last 12 months, the Newsom administration and the Legislature separately tried to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for kids to attend school, and both failed.
People involved in those efforts said they do not expect the Legislature to consider a mandate for children again next year, barring a big spike in hospitalizations or deaths.
“Our goal should be getting the immunization rate up,” said Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician Sacramento Democrat, whose bill last session would have mandated the vaccine for children to attend school, with only a medical exemption. “We have work to do on outreach, making sure people have access and educating people about the vaccine.”
Since the federal government approved vaccines for children on an emergency use basis, children have received the COVID-19 vaccine at much lower rates than adults. So far, 67 percent of 12-to-17-year-olds have received the first series of the vaccine, 38 percent of children 5 to 11 have received the first series and of those under 5 years of age, 5 percent have received the shots, according to state data.
Friday, October 21, 2022
UPDATE: Police Arrest Teen Suspect in Fortuna High Shooting Threat
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Fri, Oct 21, 2022 at 11:07 AM
An investigative team, including Fortuna and Eureka detectives, arrested a 16-year-old girl in connection with a threat made via social media that a shooting would take place at Fortuna High School Thursday afternoon and another threat made against Eel River Community School.
According to the Fortuna Police Department, the team “developed information” that identified the teen and she was taken into custody around 3 p.m. Thursday and booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of making criminal threats.
"The Fortuna Police Department, Fortuna High School, Eel River Community School and local law enforcement remain committed to the ongoing safety of our schools and students, a news release states.
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Thursday, October 6, 2022
Sample Ballot Contains Error on FUSD Bond
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Thu, Oct 6, 2022 at 2:06 PM
Known as Measure Q, the proposed $7.7 million bond measure to fix a wide array of infrastructure issues, from repairing leaking roofs and updating plumbing to improving technology infrastructure and replacing outdated heating and cooling systems, is on the November ballot.
The correct estimated annual tax obligation for a home valued at $350,000 is $210 a year — or $60 per $100,000 of a home’s assessed value — but county counsel’s analysis dropped a zero at the end.
The school district is sending a correction letter to affected voters.
Friday, September 30, 2022
Teen Arrested After Threat Locks Down Fortuna High
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Fri, Sep 30, 2022 at 10:56 AM
According to the Fortuna Police Department, the image was sent out around 12:10 p.m. to some students in an E building class and it was quickly shared around the school via Snapchat. Campus officials immediately put the school on lockdown, the release states, as law enforcement and staff began to investigate and search the grounds and determined “no weapons, dangerous devices or current threat existed.”
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