The school board unanimously agreed to approve a state mandated plan for special education after tacking on an amendment reserving the right to reduce services if insufficient funding is provided by the state.
Arcadia teachers learned that their stalled contract negotiations with the district will advance to a stage called fact-finding (meaning an impartial panel paid by the state will judge disputes between the teachers and the district).
Arcadia teachers will file an unfair labor charge against the Arcadia Unified School District for "not participating in a timely manner" in a process of negotiations called fact-finding.
Negotiations between Arcadia Teachers Association and Arcadia Unified School District halted Friday night as the two sides moved to place dispute before a fact-finding panel.
As far as the School District is concerned, the 39.99% reassessment of property due this November for Arcadia won't add much to school funds because when a district's own income goes up, state aid goes down.
Making the transition to Common Core State Standards. Arcadia Unified School District recruits in-house teachers, rather than hire outside consultants, to serve as classroom mentors for implementation. The standards align curricula across 46 states and District of Columbia.
The Arcadia Unified School District has about 130 new elementary school students this year, prompting district officials to hire 4 new teachers, combine classes and add portable classrooms.
The School Board has approved the appointment of the district's first group of mentor teachers. The 14 teachers, classroom veterans who lend their expertise to new and less experienced teachers, are named.
Arcadia High School seniors earned $40,403 for their district because they improved their scores on the statewide California Assessment Program. The money was awarded by the state under the Education Improvement Program.
Senate Bill 275 (Ding Bill), which provides for collective bargaining, binding arbitration, and the right to strike, is causing great conflict between the School Board and teachers in the Arcadia district. The Board has voted 5-0 to support the Winston Act and oppose any State legislation that would replace its provisions. The Winston Act was passed in 1969 and required that School Boards meet and confer in good faith with teachers in determining salary schedules, fringe benefits, and working conditions.
Arcadia School Board members unanimously approved the funds to prepare and file the necessary legal documents to hold a bond election on September 15 that could raise nearly $28 million to renovate the district's classrooms.
Hundreds of teachers across the San Gabriel Valley are facing layoffs again this summer and experts say cuts could be far more drastic if a solution to the state's budget problems is not reached. About 20,000 teachers in the state have been put on notice that they could be laid off if school districts do not receive the necessary state funding. Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) sent out notices to about 16% of its teachers.
Campus safety and tight funding rank among the issues of greatest concern to the five candidates seeking three open seats on the Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education.
Arcadia Board of Education approved recommendation to authorize superintendent of schools to apply for funds allocated to the district under four state and federal programs.
The Arcadia Unified School District will again offer free music classes to elementary school intermediate music students. A proposal by John Waltrip's to provide a fee-based program failed when not enough students signed up.