2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores show a majority of area schools are progressing. California's STAR program assesses public school students' knowledge of the math, English and science in grades 2 through 11. At Arcadia Unified School District, these are the percentage of students who scored proficient or advanced in core subjects: English-Language Arts 83.9%; History 76%; Mathematics 82.4%; Science 84.7%; Science end of course 80.4%. STAR scores from other area schools are given.
Arcadia warns empty-home owners: non-compliance subject to "summary abatement." This is the largest overhaul of abatement regulations since they were imposed on the City in 1972. A citation and fines will be issued and fines will increase for each day no one responds (on residential construction sites that have ceased construction, been abandoned). See correction to errors on April 6, 2017 issue of Arcadia Weekly.
Arcadia Unified School District test scores among highest in Southern California, according to new statewide test results released by California Department of Education. Arcadia scored 40% higher than the state average for math and 26% higher in English language arts/literacy.
Grades are in: San Marino Unified is still tops in state test. About 90% of San Marino Unified students met state standards in English and about 85% met state standards in math. In comparison, 79% of Arcadia Unified School District students met state standards in English and 76% met state standards in math.
Eight school districts in the West San Gabriel Valley, including Arcadia Unified School District, showed year-to-year increases in Academic Performance Index (API) scores. The API measures student proficiency in English and math.
Los Angeles County keeps environmental activists and media off the site where the 11 acres of oak tree woodlands are being bulldozed near Wilderness Park. It is called Santa Anita Dam Sediment Placement Site. Activists were unable to save the area from becoming a debris basin. See related story "Razing woodland: protesters watch as trees are cut down" Pasadena Star News, January 13, 2011, p. A1, A7.
Arcadia, Alhambra, Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino and Temple City public schools all showed improvement on California state API testing that measures English and math performance. Duarte Unified showed a drop from the previous year.
Construction has begun on Arcadia Unified School District's $20 million Performing Arts Center. The 40,000 square feet, state-of-the-art facility is due to open in fall of 2012. It is funded by Measure I.
Arcadia gets top marks in county API scores. Arcadia Unified School District has three of the top four highest scoring middle schools on the Academic Performance Index. Foothills Middle School ranked first, tied with Huntington Middle School in San Marino. First Avenue Middle School and Dana Middle School also ranked in the top four in Los Angeles County.
Two Arcadia homes used for indoor marijuana growing operations. Warrants were served and arrests were made in the 1800 block of South Baldwin Avenue and the 300 block of West Woodruff. A third house, on the 2700 block of Gilpin Way, was discovered to be an indoor marijuana cultivation house, too.
Secrecy by school districts blasted. Board of Education members Mike Spencer of West Covina Unified and Ramon Miramontes of Pasadena Unified each called for more transparency from their staffs on the issue of teacher misconduct. Pasadena Star News sent Public Records Act requests to 28 school districts in San Gabriel Valley requesting information on teacher misconduct. While two districts--Arcadia Unified School District and Bonita Unified--have now released information, 26 others have cited employee privacy concerns as a reason to keep their records private.
Individual students and the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) raised about $840,000 for the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) during its annual appeal last year, enabling the district to reinstate 12 teaching positions. Budget cuts from the state have created "serious challenges" for Arcadia schools over the past 4 years, said AUSD superintendent Joel Shawn.
City of Arcadia to split cost of fixing critical ballot error with Anaheim-based election consultant Martin and Chapman Co. Both the city and Martin and Chapman have agreed to pay $5408 each to fix a Chinese language error in the April 2012 City Council election.
New congressional districts in the San Gabriel Valley, approved by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, reflects a significant change from current boundaries. (The new congress representatives will be voted in the November 2012 elections and take office in January 2013.) The new district lines have some local leaders worried about the region's ability to get federal dollars and attention to address local issues.
Arcadia certifies city council election victories for John Wuo and Gary A. Kovacic. The results were certified this week after election officials were able to verify and count 661 of the remaining 681 ballots of the April 10 election. There were 105 ballots that had to be disqualified because voters selected more than 2 candidates in the all-mail election. At least some of those were caused by an error in the ballots' Chinese-language instructions that directed voters to select no more than 3 instead of 2 candidates, prompting the city to send out correction notices. Gene Glasco was elected City Clerk. Measure D, the hotel room tax, passed.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) caught in the web of Net-Neutrality preservation. On December 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal net neutrality laws. AUSD is transitioning into technology-based platforms of learning with a focus on personalized learning using Chromebooks. Students using different ISPs at home may have varied access to educational means. It is unlikely to affect their access to educational resources while they are at school.
Twenty-six modular structures at the United States Forest Service (U.S.F.S.) site, located in the 700 block of North Santa Anita Avenue, were destroyed by fire on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 in the early morning. There were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters. Preliminary findings indicate the cause of the fire was accidental.
How can you help the Arcadia Educational Foundation? The Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1981 in response to substantially reduced federal and state funding for California public schools, administered by parent and community member trustees, to raise funds for Arcadia Unified School District. AEF runs the annual summer school program, offers $25000 in teacher grants each year, funds district-wide phone and text communication system, and has also funded teacher positions due to state-wide budget cuts.