Charters on New Prop. Z Rules: ‘Absolutely a Slap in the Face’
Charters on New Prop. Z Rules: 'Absolutely a Slap in the Face'When the San Diego Unified school board voted to raise the bar on charter schools seeking Prop. Z funding, nobody talked about Old Town...
View ArticleSD Unified on Shaky Ground With School Foundations
SD Unified on Shaky Ground With School FoundationsIf you’re a parent whose child attends Jerabek Elementary, a public school in Scripps Ranch, you’ll be asked to donate $1,000 every year to the...
View ArticleThe Two Big Things SD Unified Is Doing to Close Its Budget Hole
The Two Big Things SD Unified Is Doing to Close Its Budget HoleFor the moment, San Diego Unified can pay its staff and keep its lights on. But next year, it’s set to spend $115 million more than it has...
View ArticleSan Diego Unified’s Overly Complicated Budget, in One Chart
San Diego Unified's Overly Complicated Budget, in One ChartWhen I sit down to understand how San Diego Unified spends its money, a little piece of me dies inside. This chart doesn’t help. At the...
View ArticleScott Barnett Unplugged: School Board Prez Edition
Scott Barnett Unplugged: School Board Prez EditionEarly this month, San Diego Unified Trustee Scott Barnet surprised the public with a midnight Facebook post announcing he wouldn’t run for re-election....
View ArticleSchool Equity Is About More Than Money – But Money Helps
School Equity Is About More Than Money – But Money HelpsThe system has existed for years. School foundations, or parent-fundraising groups, funnel millions of dollars into San Diego Unified schools to...
View ArticleSan Diego Charter Schools Aren’t Exploding After All
San Diego Charter Schools Aren't Exploding After AllIt turns out that growth of charter school students San Diego Unified hasn’t been much of an explosion at all – more like a steady inflation. The...
View ArticlePutting the ‘Control’ in Schools’ New Local Control Funding Formula
Putting the 'Control' in Schools' New Local Control Funding FormulaAs San Diego Unified anticipates new funding streams from Sacramento, a scuttle is growing over how to best keep track of the money....
View Article5 Things to Know About School Foundations
5 Things to Know About School FoundationsA few weeks ago I set out to answer some basic questions about school foundations: What they are, how much money they raise, whether they’re assets or...
View ArticleSchool Foundations’ Haul: $6.5 Million
School Foundations' Haul: $6.5 MillionParent fundraising groups are pumping a lot of money into San Diego Unified schools, but because the district doesn’t track these nonprofits, we haven’t been able...
View ArticleReality Check: School Foundations vs. Title I Funds
Reality Check: School Foundations vs. Title I FundsReality Check is an occasional VOSD series where we take on a piece of prevailing wisdom about an issue we’re covering. Think of it as a cousin to...
View ArticleSchool District Puts Teacher Evaluations on the Table
School District Puts Teacher Evaluations on the TableEver since Cindy Marten stepped into the spotlight as San Diego Unified superintendent, she’s been trailed by the whispers: Sure, she knows how to...
View ArticleLincoln High’s Polarizing Principal Bows Out
Lincoln High's Polarizing Principal Bows OutThis post has been updated. Just as students at Lincoln High School were filing in their seats Monday morning for the start of another school day, their...
View ArticleThe Case That Could Blow Up Teacher Tenure
The Case That Could Blow Up Teacher TenureThe toxic debate over hiring and firing teachers in San Diego Unified has reverberated for years. Union-won teacher protections mean school districts that want...
View ArticleSome SD Schools Have a Problematic Webmaster
Some SD Schools Have a Problematic WebmasterSome San Diego Unified schools are letting their fundraising groups run their official school websites, and even allowing businesses to advertise on their...
View ArticleTeachers Call Upon San Diego School Trustee to Help Save Seniority Rules
Teachers Call Upon San Diego School Trustee to Help Save Seniority RulesIn 2010, when San Diego Unified was in the throes of a budget crisis and staring down a round of layoffs, school board trustee...
View ArticleFor This School, Lack of Donations or Supplements Haven’t Stopped Success
For This School, Lack of Donations or Supplements Haven't Stopped SuccessTo get a glimpse of where the San Diego Unified school board wants to take the rest of the district, go to Thurgood Marshall...
View ArticleSan Diego Unified Doesn’t Want to Graduate From Senior-Based System
San Diego Unified Doesn't Want to Graduate From Senior-Based SystemFormer San Diego Unified Superintendent Carl Cohn once called the district’s system for filling open teaching positions “a stodgy,...
View ArticleWhat to Watch for During the District’s Teacher Contract Negotiations
What to Watch for During the District's Teacher Contract NegotiationsLet’s face it: Contract negotiations between school districts and the teachers union are a drag. There are theatrics,...
View ArticleWhat a District Attorney Decides
What a District Attorney DecidesDistrict attorneys are arguably the most powerful figures in the criminal justice system. Their decisions determine whether a person goes to prison, or jail – or whether...
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