Schools cost-cutting ideas offered in Atascadero

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• New Tech High raising some doubts

  New Tech High raising some doubts

  Next fall, a new school is slated to open in the South County that would provide its students with college-level courses, internships, a digital portfolio of their work — and a drastically different way of learning than what is seen at most high schools today.

• Viewpoint: Committed to opportunity for all

  Viewpoint: Committed to opportunity for all

  The teachers of Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association commend our superintendent and board of trustees for their efforts to introduce innovation and diverse learning models into our district.

  We know that parents, students and the community at large have entrusted us with nurturing the creativity, academic progress and civic life of our students. These are particularly challenging times for our public schools. We have experienced painful cuts in programs and opportunities for our students. We understand that times are hard, and we are tightening our belts.

  As we always have, the teachers of Lucia Mar will find a way to rise to this challenge — with fewer resources and less support — because our students don’t have the luxury of postponing their education or curtailing their dreams until better times.

• San Luis Coastal to lose 39 teachers

  San Luis Coastal to lose 39 teachers

  Thirty-nine of the longest-tenured teachers in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District will end their careers there at year’s end to take an early retirement incentive.

  The district offered the deal, agreed to by the teachers union, as a way to reduce payroll costs.

  Elementary schools are the most affected, with 16 teachers retiring. Seven high school teachers and four middle school teachers also took the deal.

• Atascadero school board to vote Tuesday on fate of junior high campus

  Atascadero school board to vote Tuesday on fate of junior high campus

  The fate of Atascadero Junior High School could be decided this week.

  The Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees is expected to vote tonight on whether to renovate or relocate the junior high school.

  The district is eyeing three options for the campus at Lewis and Olmeda avenues.

• County schools improve test scores on Academic Performance Index

  County schools improve test scores on Academic Performance Index

  Schools in San Luis Obispo County continue to improve their state and federal test scores, according to results released Wednesday by the state Department of Education.

  Forty-six schools in San Luis Obispo County scored above the academic benchmark set by the state. That’s four more than last year. Those schools all topped 800 on the Academic Performance Index, or API, which is measured on a scale of 200 to 1,000.

  Of those, six elementary schools had API scores above 900: Branch and Ocean View in Arroyo Grande and Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter, Bishop’s Peak, Los Ranchos and Teach in San Luis Obispo.