Print
With his May budget revision, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $20 billion investment in “the total transformation of schools as gateways to equity and opportunity.”
His education proposal, the highest level of state school funding in California history, includes plans for universal transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds by 2024. Currently, transitional kindergarten is offered only to children who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. Starting in 2022-23, it will be expanded in annual increments, first to children turning 5 by March 2, then in 2023-24 for birthdays by July 2 and finally in 2024-25 for full implementation at an additional annual cost of $2.7 billion.
“We’re doing more than just fully reopening for the upcoming school year, we’re proposing historic investments in public schools to create new opportunities for every student, especially for our neediest students, so that every child can thrive, regardless of their race or zip code,” Newsom said
Print
A data-driven presentation on the benefits of transitional kindergarten (TK) was provided to the five local Basic Aid districts last month by North County community member Allison Trent.
Marsha Sutton
(File photo)
Of the four districts that included the presentation on recent agendas, the Del Mar Union School District was the only one that held an open session discussion.
The Cardiff, Encinitas and Solana Beach school districts did not discuss the issue in open session. Donna Tripi, superintendent of the fifth district, Rancho Santa Fe, said she did not receive a request to place TK on the agenda.
At their board meetings, Cardiff, Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach had two presentations: Trent’s – which was extensive, thorough and research-based – and one developed by each school district.
Del Mar Union School District’s Spanish immersion program will expand into the first grade this coming school year and welcome a new kindergarten class on a lifelong path toward biliteracy.
Two kindergarten strands began in fall 2020 at Del Mar Hills and Ashley Falls Schools with students receiving instruction in nearly every subject in Spanish as well as celebrating and understanding different cultures.
“This program is even better than what we thought it would be,” said DMUSD Board President Erica Halpern.
Looking ahead to the 2021-2022 school year, the
district has scheduled parent information webinars on Zoom Feb. 9, Feb. 23, March 9 and March 3.
Judge issues ruling in Heights rebuild lawsuit
The Del Mar Heights rebuild as seen from Mira Montana.
(Courtesy)
The Del Mar Union School District must address three outstanding environmental issues before continuing on with its Del Mar Heights School rebuild, according to a Dec. 22 ruling in the lawsuit against the district by Save the Field.
Save the Field’s lawsuit centers on the belief that the district’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process was flawed, resulting in an incomplete and inaccurate environmental review. Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil found that the “abbreviated environmental process employed by district did not, in part, comply with CEQA.” The judge concluded while there were three areas that the district should study further, 10 out of the 13 complaints against the district were without merit.
CARLSBAD
The Carlsbad City Council met Tuesday and gave final approval, 4-1, to its hotel employee recall rights ordinance. Reports were presented on the city’s 2019-20 annual financial audit results and on upcoming municipal service reviews by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of the city of Carlsbad and Carlsbad Municipal Water District. Marissa Steketee was appointed to the Parks & Recreation Commission.
DEL MAR
Advertisement
The Del Mar City Council met in closed session Monday to discuss litigation. In open session, the council discussed its 6th Cycle Housing Element and the penalties involved for not fulfilling its obligations, which could include reduced state funding, increased legal costs and financial penalties, and less local control over development. Planning Department staff also answered questions submitted by the community about various housing sites and alternatives.