Sunday, December 23, 2007

From the Times: PAY 2 PLAY + SDUSD GETS AN ADMIRAL TOO!


Pay to Play: DISTRICT URGED TO REJECT FEE PLAN

A San Fernando Valley youth sports league urged the Los Angeles school board Wednesday to reject a plan to charge youth groups that use district athletic fields and facilities. The fees go into effect next year and would raise about $4 million, which officials say would help the district recoup a $95 million budget shortfall. The charges were approved in June as part of this year's $6.2 billion budget, but the fee structure was not put into place until several months later. In a letter to the board secretary, an attorney for the nonprofit Valley Youth Conference, Inc. said that the group cannot afford the fees, which can cost up to $25.50 an hour, and asked the board to reject the program before January 15. About 10,000 students and 7,500 families participate in the youth conference's programs. District officials said that they have not seen the letter but have maintained that the charges are important to the school system's financial health. --Jason Song

Sign the online DEFEAT PAY TO PLAY PETITION


San Diego: EX-NAVY OFFICER TO LEAD SCHOOL DISTRICT

A retired Navy rear admiral has been named interim superintendent of the San Diego school system as the board of trustees seeks a permanent replacement for Carl Cohn, who is set to retire next week.

The board announced Wednesday that William Kowba, now the district's chief administrative officer and chief financial officer, will take the interim post. The district, the second largest in the state, has 135,000 students; Cohn is leaving to resume his consulting business and take a lectureship at San Diego State University.

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