OCDE Education in the News

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

OCDE NEWSROOM

#kindness1billion: Davis Magnet School students raise funds for OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors program

Students at Davis Magnet School in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District are raising money for a good cause by selling one kindness gram at a time. Upon learning that the headquarters of OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors program was overtaken by December’s Bond Fire, students in the Peer Assistance Leadership — or PAL — program knew they had to help. During a special Zoom call on Tuesday, PAL students, along with their advisers Kelley Galen, Lisa Holman, and Katelyn Danahy, presented Inside the Outdoors with a donation for $2,464.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/kindness1billion-davis-magnet-school-students-raise-funds-for-ocdes-inside-the-outdoors-program/

COVID-19 update: Governor outlines next phase of COVID-19 recovery plan; state to move beyond color-coded monitoring system

Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday outlined the state’s next phase in California’s COVID-19 recovery, which aims to move beyond the state’s color-coded monitoring system and fully reopen the economy by June 15. According to a press release, California plans to fully open the economy if two criteria are met: vaccine supply is sufficient for Californians 16 years and older who wish to be inoculated, and hospitalization rates remain stable.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/coronavirus-update/

DAILY NEWS LOS ANGELES

LAUSD, UTLA reach tentative agreement to provide special services, union announces

The Los Angeles Unified School District and United Teachers Los Angeles have struck a tentative deal to provide special education services and other “special services” to students during hybrid learning, according to the teachers union.

https://www.dailynews.com/2021/04/06/lausd-utla-reach-tentative-agreement-to-provide-special-services-union-announces/

SACRAMENTO BEE

Sacramento County students are back on campus. But what will school look like in the fall?

After months of preparation, most Sacramento County schools are reopening, bringing thousands of students back to campus – at least part time.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article249996589.html

Natomas teachers union files unfair labor charge after district announces 5-day schedule

Teachers in the Natomas Unified School District are pushing back on the district’s plan to bring elementary school students back to campus five days a week, saying the plan doesn’t give teachers much time to prepare their lessons.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article250442031.html

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

S.F. school board pledges to reopen schools to all students for full days in the fall

The San Francisco school board pledged to reopen schools in the fall to all students for full time in-person learning in a unanimous vote on Tuesday.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/S-F-school-board-to-vote-on-whether-schools-16081630.php

S.F.'s free summer program for thousands of students to win funding after delay

San Francisco leaders blessed spending $15 million on free summer programming for the city’s public school students on Tuesday after a vote delay by the Board of Supervisors two weeks ago.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/S-F-s-free-summer-program-for-thousands-of-16080643.php

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

Pleasanton offers ‘virtual academy’ this fall for students who prefer distance learning

While some students struggled with distance learning during the pandemic, some thrived. So Pleasanton Unified will now offer an alternative solution for students, Virtual Academy for fall 2021.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/04/04/pleasanton-offers-virtual-academy-this-fall-for-students-who-prefer-distance-learning/

EDSOURCE

Gov. Newsom expects full in-person fall return to school after state scraps color-coded tiers

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials said Tuesday they expect all schools and higher education institutions to open for full-time in-person instruction in the fall, following the announcement that California intends to retire its “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” color-coded tier system on June 15.

https://edsource.org/2021/california-schools-expect-full-in-person-return-in-the-fall-as-state-scraps-color-coded-tier-system/652622

KPBS

San Diego schools to receive $908 million in stimulus funds

The Congressional Research Service estimates more than $908 million will go to county school districts from the stimulus package. San Diego Unified, the county’s largest school district, will receive more than $340 million.

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/apr/06/san-diego-unified-receive-908-million-stimulus-fun/

Half of San Diego Unified students expected to return to classrooms next week

San Diego Unified School District expects about half of its students to return to in-person instruction next week, but those numbers could change as more parents feel comfortable sending their children to school.

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/apr/06/half-san-diego-unified-students-expected-return-cl/

NPR

San Francisco School Board Rescinds Controversial School Renaming Plan

The San Francisco Board of Education will ultimately keep the names of dozens of public schools in a case of high stakes second thoughts. The Board had moved to forge ahead with a controversial plan to change the names of 44 schools that honor figures linked to historical racism or oppression. But on Tuesday the board voted unanimously to suspend the effort when it approved a resolution saying it "wishes to avoid the distraction and wasteful expenditure of public funds in frivolous litigation."

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/07/984919925/san-francisco-school-board-rescinds-controversial-school-renaming-plan

OTHER NEWS OUTLETS

Begun in NYC public schools, Techrow makes virtual reality work for students of all income levels, no matter where they’re learning

With students stuck at home during the pandemic, disengagement from school has turned from concern to danger. But with the challenge of distance learning comes an opportunity for virtual reality to create accessibility and understanding for kids of all demographics, even in the most disadvantaged districts.

http://laschoolreport.com/begun-in-nyc-public-schools-techrow-makes-virtual-reality-work-for-students-of-all-income-levels-no-matter-where-theyre-lear

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