Tag: CUSD

Public schools take center stage in battles over civil rights Chico Unified School District sued by conservative group

photo courtesy of EMS
Michaele Turnage Young

by Natalie Hanson
posted Jan. 19

Civil rights advocates say that battles over student rights have become polarized by far-right “special interests,” and they foresee a fight ahead to protect childrens’ rights.

Those fights may involve issues ranging from protection against discrimination to materials students are allowed to access and read. And at a Jan. 18 Board of Trustees meeting for Chico Unified School District (CUSD), officials responded to concerns raised by a lawsuit filed by an organization that supports many of the political right’s causes with court fights.

At a Jan. 18 news briefing sponsored by Ethnic Media Services (EMS), experts said the battle over students’ rights starts in K-12 schools, including whether children can be protected from discriminatory bullying.

AJ Link, policy analyst for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said his organization is pressing for legislation to end corporal punishment in schools. read more

Crucial school board election draws interest Race assumes unusual partisan feel

photo by Karen Laslo
A Rosedale parent protests outside a Board of Trustees meeting earlier this year.

by Natalie Hanson
posted Sept. 24

A crucial school board election is drawing unusual public interest in Chico, with pressure high on administrators and elected officials to address performance gaps, school safety and politically-driven battles over educational materials.

Voters will fill three seats on the Chico Unified School District (CUSD) Board of Education on Nov. 8. Board members have faced unprecedented demands during the pandemic, as the majority chose to follow the state’s guidance -– despite outcry from some parents and an unsuccessful recall attempt. In addition, the suspension of a Rosedale Elementary School vice principal and equity leader sparked scrutiny of the district’s equity practices.

“The outcome of the race could represent a change in the whole dynamic of teaching and learning in Chico,” said Laurel Avalon, a retired paralegal who helped form the group Chico Peace Alliance after the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre. read more

Chico Unified enrollment rises CUSD recovering from pandemic and fire trauma

by Natalie Hanson
sidebar posted Sept. 24

Despite a turbulent period since the Camp Fire, further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chico Unified School District (CUSD) administrators say so far this fall, enrollment is rising and teacher staffing levels are recovering. That has given some running for the school board hope to be able to tackle multiple high-pressure concerns.

Jim Hanlon, human resources assistant superintendent, told ChicoSol last month that the district was facing some staffing issues. However, as the school year began he said in an interview that although enrollment dropped from 12,253 students in 2019 to 11,834 in 2021 -– its lowest point in five years -– it has increased to 12,176 this year.

Hanlon noted attendance fluctuates as families move in and out during the summer, and could be affected by the growth of Oak Bridge Academy Online School during COVID from 75 to 300 students. read more

Chico Unified faces staffing and fatigue issues Inflation will raise District costs, but state funding may reach a high

This CUSD general fund graph compares projected cash flow for the coming academic year (red-dotted line) with the two previous years.

by Natalie Hanson
posted Aug. 1

Chico Unified School District is struggling to solve the staffing and fatigue problems plaguing schools across the nation — even with its coffers well-funded for the coming academic year.

Chico Unified Teachers Association President Kevin Moretti said teachers have been aided by smaller class sizes, block schedules at the high schools and more aides “when we can find them.”

However, new funding may not necessarily solve all staffing problems. Like many school districts across the country, Chico Unified has seen an increase in retirements and resignations during the pandemic. The district has raised the wages for lower-paid positions that are at a premium, like classroom aides and bus drivers.

“We have the money for it, just not the bodies,” Moretti said.

He said in a district with about 750 teachers, he considers it a lot if five people resign mid-year rather than waiting until the end of the academic year. “During the pandemic and last year, several weren’t willing to come back to the classroom and chose to resign,” he said. “We’ve had people say, ‘That’s it, I’m resigning.’” read more

School leaders in Chico work to reduce “unfinished learning” In wake of pandemic, experts suggest reform; Chapman employs community model

photo by Leslie Layton
Principal Mike Allen at Chapman Elementary just before opening bell.

by Natalie Hanson
posted March 23

As the pandemic disrupted Chico’s Chapman neighborhood, Chapman Elementary School Principal Mike Allen was one of several local school leaders known to knock on students’ doors and check on them, often with food in hand.

The schools were closed by state mandate with only online learning from March through August 2020, meaning that children missed seven months of in-person education. In October 2020, Chico Unified adopted a hybrid model. In August 2021, campuses fully opened to in-person learning.

Two years later, with his school’s campus reopened, Allen says students are facing great obstacles. Some are missing classes after losing momentum during online classes. Many are struggling with social and economic pressures exacerbated by the pandemic.

Allen said as children try to balance instabilities at home with demands on campus, teachers and staff often find themselves to be key lifelines to basic needs and resources. read more