After being a victim of harassment within BUSD, a 14-year-old student said she was told the safest thing to do was for her to leave the school.
Beatriz Leyva-Cutler
Posted inSchools
School board candidates back Measure E1, will push for education equality
From left: Abdur Sikder, Judy Appel, Beatriz Leyva-Cutler and Norma Harrison. They are running for two seats on the school board. Photos: Courtesy Two incumbents are facing two challengers at the polls today in two lightly contested seats on the Berkeley Unified School District. Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, 60, is the executive director of Bay Area Hispano Institute […]
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Address verification work continues for Berkeley Unified
The Bonar Street headquarters of the Berkeley Unified School District. Photo: Kaia Diringer The Berkeley Unified School District has continued its stepped-up efforts to cut down on enrollment fraud during its second year of widespread home visits and address verifications prompted by a new policy adopted by the School Board last year. Wednesday night, the board got […]
Posted inSchools
Election 2016 Berkeley: Spotlight on the School Board
From left: Abdur Sikder, Judy Appel, Beatriz Leyva-Cutler and Norma Harrison. Photos: Courtesy Berkeleyside wants to help you get to know your 2016 candidates for Berkeley mayor, City Council, School Board and Rent Board. We are publishing questionnaires with the candidates daily at 11 a.m. through Monday. We’ll also have stories on all the key Berkeley races and […]
Posted inSchools
Election 2016: Who is Beatriz Leyva-Cutler?
Photo: Courtesy of Beatriz Leyva-Cutler Name: Beatriz Leyva-Cutler Age: 60 Job: Executive Director of BAHIA Inc. What office are you are running for? Berkeley School Board What is the main reason you are running? I am running for Berkeley School Board to solidify the focus through policy and practice the expectation of always holding equity and academic excellence of […]
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Felarca supporters shut down School Board meeting
Yvette Felarca during Wednesday night’s board meeting. Image: BUSD Yvette Felarca during Wednesday night’s board meeting. Image: BUSD A roomful of supporters of Berkeley teacher Yvette Felarca — who was placed on paid leave by the district last month — demanded during Wednesday night’s School Board meeting that she be returned to her classroom immediately and taken off […]
Posted inHousing & Development, Opinion
Op-ed: We need real equity and access to a livable Berkeley
This letter, by REAL Berkeley, was sent to the Berkeley City Council ahead of its July 12 meeting. REAL Berkeley is a group of Berkeley citizens who are interested in helping to develop a comprehensive housing plan for the city that provides affordable housing for low-income, moderate and workforce housing (see list of members below). REAL Berkeley […]
Posted inSchools
Berkeley school superintendent worked 18 months with lapsed credentials
Donald Evans. Photo: Hayward Unified School District For much of the last two years, Berkeley School Superintendent Donald Evans has been working without credentials required by his contract. In July 2014, a year after his appointment, Evans let his school administrative services credential and his teaching credential lapse. He finally renewed them on Jan. 4, […]
Posted inSchools
BSEP meetings lay groundwork for November vote
BSEP funds ensure smaller class sizes, particularly in lower grades. Photo: Mark Coplan BSEP funds ensure smaller class sizes, particularly in lower grades. Photo: Mark Coplan Berkeley Schools’ local parcel tax — BSEP — which provides 20% of the school district’s budget, will be on the ballot this November for the first approval in 10 years. The district is […]
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Berkeley School Board rejects school officer grant
The Berkeley Unified School District has one school resource officer. Photo: Emilie Raguso The Berkeley School Board said a resounding “no” to a proposal to add a second police officer to its campus roster during a discussion earlier this month about ways to address safety and racial tension on campus. The proposal, from Superintendent Donald Evans, […]
Posted inCrime & Safety, Schools
Berkeley Technology Academy starts semester with record low enrollment
BTA Principal Sheila Quintana. Image: BUSD Berkeley Technology Academy, the city’s alternative high school, was set to begin the year with record low enrollment, Principal Sheila Quintana told the School Board in late August. Quintana gave the board an update on the school’s efforts at its Aug. 26 meeting, detailing recent successes and challenges since she […]
Posted inSchools
BUSD poised to adopt tougher school enrollment policy
BUSD rejected 11% of applicants from private middle schools to Berkeley High School for 2015-16 after stricter enforcement requirements were implemented. Now the board is considering an even tougher policy. Photo: Melati Citrawireja Berkeley school board officials are considering tougher enrollment requirements to curb illegal enrollment in the district, following the initial success of new […]
