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The union representing 30,000 education workers reached a tentative deal with the Los Angeles Unified School District Friday, following a three-day strike that had closed hundreds of campuses and canceled classes for 422,000 students last week. The agreement, which still needs to be formally ratified by members, includes multi-year wage increases that add up to about 20% over time; a $1,000 bonus for current employees who worked in 2020; and a $2 per hour raise for all employees effective Jan. 1, 2024. Health care will also be provided to all employees who work at least four hours per day. Mayor Karen Bass announced the deal on Friday at City Hall with Max Arias, the executive director of Local 99, and Alberto Carvalho, the district superintendent. Mayor Karen Bass announced the deal at City Hall with Max Arias, the executive director of Local 99, and Alberto Carvalho, the district superintendent. “I have no doubt that this contract will be seen as a precedent-setting, historic contract that elevates the dignity, the humanity of our work force, respects the needs of our students, but also guarantees the fiscal viability of our district for years to come,” Carvalho said. “Those were indispensable priorities for all of us.”

 

Los Angeles Times

New York Times

Wall Street Journal

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has written to governors, chief state school officers, and school district and school leaders and urged them to end corporal punishment in schools. This letter reinforces the Department of Education's position that corporal punishment in schools, the practice of paddling, spanking, or otherwise imposing physical punishment on students, should be replaced with evidence-based practices, such as implementing multi-tiered systems of support like positive behavioral interventions and supports, that create a safe and healthy school environments. In addition, the Department released guiding principles on how to maintain safe, inclusive, supportive, and fair learning environments for students and school staff, including specific recommendations for evidence-based practices to give students what they need to learn and grow. Corporal punishment continues to be legal in at least 23 states.

 

Ed.gov

More California high school students applied for free federal and state financial aid for college this year than last, showing that a new state law is having a positive effect. Researchers with the state Student Aid Commission credit the boost to a new state law that required high schools to highly encourage students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which states also use to determine financial aid under state programs. Among new high school filers, more than 450,000 students submitted a FAFSA application this year — a 17.5% increase from last year, according to the commission. The state’s high schools also saw nearly 8,000 students submit Dream Act applications, a 1.6% increase from last year. Overall, statewide, FAFSA applications for new and returning college students increased by 5.9% to 1,184,850 submissions. The deadline to submit applications in California was March 2. Nationally, as of March 3, 42.7% of the Class of 2023 have completed a FAFSA, a 5% increase from last year, according to the National College Attainment Network.

 

EdSource

The House approved a bill Friday geared toward parental oversight of schools, an issue that has become a mainstay of the Republican policy platform. The legislation, dubbed the Parents Bill of Rights Act, would require schools to make available class curriculums, a list of books in the library and school budgets to parents, while mandating that schools notify parents of violent activity on school grounds. It would also require teachers to inform parents if they begin using different pronouns for a student or allow a child to change their “sex-based accommodations,” like bathrooms. The House approved the measure, which is unlikely to be considered in the Democrat-controlled Senate, 213-208 in a nearly party-line vote.

 

US News and World Report

Hundreds of teachers in Oakland USD joined a picket line Friday morning, citing reduced staffing and low teacher pay. The middle and high school teachers are asking for a 23% raise in wages. By contrast, district officials proposed an 11% raise for teachers and 8% for other staff. The one-day strike was not authorized by the teachers’ union. The Oakland teachers are striking just as Los Angeles Unified teachers return to their classrooms, after last week's three-day strike brought classes to a halt for 420,000 students.

 

EdSource

U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), along with U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) and Jahana Hayes (D-CN), has reintroduced the Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act - a piece of legislation that aims to address educator shortages and increase children’s access to a diverse and well-prepared educator workforce by expanding the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. It would see the federal government make monthly federal student loan payments for educators serving in early childhood education programs and high-need public schools and completely forgive any outstanding debt after five years of service. It would also allow service under this program to concurrently count toward the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Sen. Luján comments: "It’s critical that we work to alleviate these financial burdens by strengthening and expanding the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program to make becoming an educator more accessible and affordable."

 

US Sen Ben Ray Luján

The San Francisco Unified School District has become the first in California to apply for and receive a grant that will allow the district's educators to integrate financial literacy curriculum in high schools. The $130,000 California Access to Financial Education Grant (CAFE) grant will be provided to the SFUSD to allow its educators to integrate personal finance curriculum by nonprofit organization Next Gen Personal Finance into their courses.

 

San Francisco Examiner

A new bill in California is aiming to ensure free condoms are available for high school students. Senate Bill 541 would require schools to offer condoms in at least two different locations and provide information on proper use without necessitating students to request them from an adult. The bill will be brought before the Senate Education Committee this week.

 

Fox News