The Lopsided Impact of SDUSD Budget Cuts

One of the largest issues currently facing San Diego Unified School District is the looming budget deficit and the district's decision to implement sweeping cuts in employment and hiring. Much as been written on this budget issue--specifically as it relates to teacher layoffs. Recent Voice of San Diego articles highlight the disproportionate impact that these decision have on socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

The District Schools Facing the Most Layoffs Are Overwhelmingly Poor - Voice of San Diego

The 20 Schools in San Diego Unified Facing the Most Teacher Layoffs - Voice of San Diego

One item that particularly stands out from in the second article are the rates of socio-economic need at the most impacted schools.

Pink Slips vs. Poverty from Voice of San Diego

The fact that two of the schools--Whittier K-12 and Garfield--are listed is especially discouraging given that they represent two of San Diego Unified's Alternative Education sites. Whittier is a K-12 option for non-diploma bound students who require significant attention given the needs outlined in their IEPs. Additionally, Garfield is a continuation school for those students who are unsuccessful in the traditional school setting and at-risk of dropping out. While all the teacher layoffs are disheartening, the impact at these two schools in particular is sure to most severely felt.

To learn more about the schools within San Diego Unified, you can reference the SDUSD website. Additionally, demographic information (including percentages of Free/Reduced Lunch, EL populations, etc.) can be found by visiting Ed-Data.

New Year, New Rules

Last week, President Trump's Secretary of Education nominee Betsy Devos faced a highly anticipated--and widely criticized--confirmation hearing in the United States Senate. While many on the left insist that she not be nominated, the simple math of the Republican majority in the Senate means that she will likely be confirmed as the Secretary of Education.

While the confirmation hearing provided an array of soundbites that continue to circulate through the 24-hour news cycle, Rebecca Natow of the Hechinger Report provides some insight into an important topic that was largely absent from the vigorous debate: rule-making.

What's happening beyond the public eye in the Dept. of Education? - The Hechinger Report

As mentioned in her article, "rule-making" is essentially how federal agencies navigate their operations under new and existing legislation. This process allows relevant agencies to set the rules of interpretation regarding vague language, mandates, definitions, etc. For example, if legislation directed towards "low-income students" fails to define how "income" is measured, rule-making allows that department to utilize their own interpretation. For political science nerds like myself, this is extremely similar to the President's usage of signing statements or executive orders to dictate federal interpretations of laws.

With this in mind, overhauling legislation would not necessarily be needed in order to enact significant change in the Department of Education and its operations. Rather, merely altering the department's interpretation of current statutes is enough to modify the existing landscape of education (note: these rules are still subject to constitutional oversight by the courts).

While rule-making can seem confusing, it is important to remember that this process is a matter of public record. Natow points to an especially helpful tool in Regulations.gov--a government resource that provides information about proposed rule changes, public hearing regarding those rule changes, and opportunities for public comment. Obviously, this will be an important tool for those who are concerned about the potential for radical changes in the Department of Education and beyond.