Latest news with #SantaAnaUnifiedSchoolDistrict
Los Angeles Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Apodaca: California population decline reveals harsh reality for education funding
The decline in K-12 public school enrollment across California, as predicted, is forcing many school districts to make some painful decisions. We saw an example of this recently, when Santa Ana Unified School District, facing a $154-million budget deficit and 28% fewer students than a decade ago, announced it would lay off about 262 employees, including teachers, counselors and other staff members. Decreasing enrollment isn't the only reason for Santa Ana Unified's budgetary bind. Most acutely, as with other districts, it is grappling with the loss of federal COVID bailout funds, which ended last fall. Still, there's no question that the steady loss of public school students is putting Santa Ana Unified, and most districts throughout California, in a tough place financially. Public schools are funded through a mix of federal, state and local money, but in California the state by far accounts for the largest share of education dollars. Those state funds come from income taxes, property taxes and sales taxes, and a relatively tiny proportion from the state lottery. The number of students in a district influence how much state funding it receives. That's why enrollment losses often lead to reductions in the amount of money allocated to each district by the state. The picture can get a bit complicated, though. Under California's Local Control Funding Formula, which began in the 2013-2014 school year, some districts throughout the state receive additional funds if it's determined that they have a large share of 'high needs' students. And a small number of the state's public school districts are so-called 'Basic Aid,' or 'Community Funded' districts, meaning that the revenue collected from local property taxes is more than sufficient to cover the districts' expenses; therefore, they don't rely on state aid. Newport-Mesa Unified School District, for example, is a Basic Aid district. Despite such exceptions, however, most districts are struggling with the financial pressures tied to declining enrollment. Last fall, the state Department of Finance reported that the number of public school students had fallen for the seventh straight year. There are many reasons behind the slide. Enrollment took a big hit during the COVID pandemic, and some students never returned. Some moved out of state, while others migrated to private education or homeschooling. California's high cost of living — particularly the state's stratospheric housing costs — are cited as a contributing factor. And critics from both the right and left of the political spectrum have taken aim at what they see as misguided priorities, both financial and social. But the biggest factor, many analysts say, is declining birth rates, which have steadily fallen in the United States over the last 15 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that the total national fertility rate was 1.6 children per woman, far below the 2.1 rate needed to naturally maintain the population. Simply put, that means we have fewer kids entering, or who will enter, our schools. Some experts have referred to this as 'a demographic cliff.' Growing enrollment in transitional kindergarten is mitigating the overall declines in enrollment numbers, at least somewhat. But the long-term picture isn't great. The state Finance Department projects that in the coming decade 'if current trends in fertility and migration hold,' total enrollment will fall further. The federal government projected California will lose another one million public school students by 2031. The hits will affect different schools and their districts in different ways, and each one will have to navigate a path forward to maintain solvency without, hopefully, sacrificing educational goals. It won't be easy. Last year, Anaheim Union High School District announced plans to lay off more than 100 teachers amid plummeting enrollment, but it later backtracked and instead made other cutbacks. Other districts throughout Orange County are also considering closing schools or consolidating campuses. For instance, Saddleback Valley Unified School District plans to close San Joaquin Elementary this year, and Anaheim Union High School District is closing Orangeview Junior High and shifting the middle school students to Western High School. In announcing its plan to jettison some employees, Santa Ana Unified Supt. Jerry Almendarez said in a statement, 'Staffing adjustments are part of a long-term strategy to align our resources with student enrollment trends and financial realities.' That rather dry statement doesn't mask the harsh reality that district administrators and school boards are increasingly faced with excruciating choices. It's terrible that valued teachers are being laid off, and parents are understandably upset at the prospect of losing their beloved community schools. The uncertainty and disruption alone are difficult to cope with. Unfortunately, we must brace ourselves because we're sure to see more tough times for public schools in the coming years. More strained budgets, more layoffs, more school closures. In a perfect world, all of our public schools would be assured of a steady, predictable and sufficient level of funding to ensure that all students have access to a quality education. But that's not the world we live in, and the impact of population changes provides us with a stark reminder of that fact.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Teacher of the year among hundreds getting cut from Santa Ana USD
The Brief The Santa Ana Unified School District has begun laying off teachers and staff due to budget cuts. Nearly 400 staff members, including teachers and counselors, face the chopping block. One teacher who has already received their notice, is Teacher of the Year Noelle Carney Campbell. SANTA ANA, Calif. - Dozens of community members gathered in Santa Ana on Tuesday night to speak out against massive layoffs to the Santa Ana Unified School District staff, as the district faces a budget crisis. What we know Nearly 400 teachers and counselors in the district could be fired, as the district faces massive budget cuts. District officials say the district is facing a nearly $200 budget deficit. Last week, the district started informing some of those who are being laid off. Dozens of people showed up to protest ahead of the School Board meeting on Tuesday night with shirts and signs that read "I am not a number" and "I have a name." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Santa Ana Unified schools face layoffs amid budget crisis More layoffs are expected this week. One of those who has already gotten their notice is Teacher of the Year Noelle Carney Campbell. What they're saying "Can someone please just explain to me how the teacher of the year gets laid off," Campbell said in a frustrated Instagram post. She spoke to FOX 11 on Tuesday. "I'm devastated," she said. This is my dream job. Santa Ana is the lowest income, highest minority population school district in Orange County. We don't need to be cutting services, we need to be increasing services. The backstory Most students in the district qualify for the assisted lunch program, making cuts more difficult. Officials say the biggest factor for the cuts is declining enrollment, with many families being priced out of Santa Ana. "They're moving up north to central California," said Ron Hacker, the district's Chief Business Officer. "They're moving east to the Inland Empire. They're moving out of state." The Source Information in this story is from interviews with teachers and protesters at the Santa Ana School District and Santa Ana USD Chief Business Officer Ron Hacker.
Los Angeles Times
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Santa Ana Unified reaches settlement with Jewish groups over ethnic studies
Three contentious ethnic studies classes will be shelved from instruction as part of a legal settlement reached between a coalition of Jewish groups and the Santa Ana Unified School District. The terms of the Feb. 19 agreement, which is set to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that secrecy and antisemitism defined the district's ethnic studies rollout, also requires that any future instruction on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be taught in line with its own 'controversial issues' policies. 'We're very pleased with the settlement,' said Marci Miller, Brandeis Center's director of legal investigations. 'We believe it sends the right message that ethnic studies can be a vehicle for bringing antisemitism into a classroom. We're watching other districts and states closely, and we're hoping that they're watching as well.' The district first faced litigation in September 2023 over its ethnic studies curriculum. At that time, Jewish groups like the Brandeis Center, StandWithUs and the Anti-Defamation League alleged that the district's board of trustees approved ethnic studies course outlines and materials on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that were blatantly antisemitic. Court documents filed in support of the suit last year further alleged that a Santa Ana Ethnic Studies Steering Committee secretively met in violation of the state's open meeting laws and became a platform for antisemitism itself. Documents obtained from the district appeared to show a committee meeting's agenda item on ethnic studies in relation to the 'Jewish Question.' Text messages between senior district officials also discussed the merits of holding votes on ethnic studies courses on Jewish holidays like Passover to avoid protest from the public. According to a district spokesman, the school board still has to give the agreement final approval. 'At no time has the District supported the teaching of instructional content to students that reflects adversely on any group on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity, or national origin as alleged in the lawsuit,' said Supt. Jerry Almendarez in a statement. 'The settlement of this lawsuit affirms that principle and resolves any misunderstanding that may have occurred.' As part of the agreement, if the district decides to bring Ethnic Studies World Histories, Ethnic Studies World Geography and Ethnic Studies: Perspectives, Identities and Social Justice, back to the board for approval, it has agreed to publish course outline drafts online at least a week before holding a public meeting. Groups like the ADL, Jewish Federation of Orange County and Southern Californians for Unbiased Education are to be invited to meetings for input. 'Through the settlement, we're bringing the process into compliance with the Brown Act and also with ethnic studies laws and California law in general,' Miller said. 'When created in the dark, without public input, we saw some pretty heinously antisemitic materials brought into the classes.' The district admits to no Brown Act violation in the settlement agreement. Local Arab American groups packed school board meetings in 2023 to call on the district to keep the lessons. Pro-Palestinian activists saw them as a rare, critical lens on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the classroom. Rashad Al-Dabbagh, executive director of the Arab American Civic Council, called the settlement 'deeply troubling,' especially in a city where Palestinian American activist Alex Odeh was slain in an unsolved office bombing nearly 40 years ago. 'By stopping these ethnic studies courses from being taught, the district is denying students the opportunity to learn about a historically vilified and marginalized people — one that is actively facing genocide in Gaza,' he said. 'Our schools should foster critical thinking, not censorship.' Shira Klein, chair of history at Chapman University and an antisemitism expert, independently reviewed two of the classes in question and didn't find them to be antisemitic. The scholar described the settlement as part of a 'lawfare' strategy. 'This is what the Brandeis Center and groups like it do: They file lawsuits and complaints against individuals and institutions that criticize Israel, all in the name of protecting Jews,' she said. 'This doesn't make Jews safer, though. It silences everyone who wants to speak honestly about Israel, including many, many Jews.' The trio of ethnic studies courses are all to be discontinued at the end of this school year. Ethnic Studies World Geography was already on hold during litigation. Ethnic Studies World Histories and Ethnic Studies Honors: Perspectives, Identities and Social Justice will be allowed to finish the current semester but content Jewish groups found objectionable, including passages from Michael Mann's book 'The Dark Side of Democracy: Explaining Ethnic Cleansing' and a glossary of terms from the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Coalition will be stripped from instruction. Future lessons on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whether in ethnic studies or other classes, are to adhere to the district's 'controversial issues' policies, which expects that teachers should 'ensure that all sides of a controversial issue are impartially presented.' Course materials stating or implying that Jewish people don't have a right to self-determination or subject Israel to a double-standard of criticism cannot be presented outside of the policy. 'It's vital that the conflict be taught but it is vital that it be taught correctly,' said James Pasch, the ADL's senior director for national litigation. The district also agreed to sever a $92,000 contract unanimously approved last August with the Xicanx Institute for Teaching and Organizing, which provided professional development for ethnic studies teachers throughout the district. Plaintiffs in the suit objected to a Xito consultant's political opinions on social media, including a post that wondered aloud how anyone could 'support the settler colonial state of Israel?' In another stipulation, the district admits that the Santa Ana Ethnic Studies Steering Committee no longer exists and won't be reformed. It will pay $42,000 to the Brandeis Center's attorneys for out-of-pocket costs in settling the suit. For Pasch, the legal fight underscores the value of the Brown Act, the state's opening meeting law, in objecting to course content the ADL finds to be antisemitic. 'This settlement doesn't just have ramifications within Santa Ana, or even just within the state of California,' he said. There's open meeting laws from coast to coast.'
