Statewide poll of principals reveals an increase in cutbacks and layoffs at schools, and unemployment and homelessness among families.
By Howard Blume | LA Times | http://bit.ly/7uSmSR
Full survey will be published Friday and should appear here.
[UPDATE: http://bit.ly/4ui433]
January 21, 2010 | 12:16 a.m -- The state's children found no escape from harder times last year whether at school, where they endured larger classes, unfamiliar teachers and scarce supplies -- or at home, where they faced family stresses from emptier refrigerators, job losses and more frequent dislocation.
The grim compilation comes in a report to be released today by UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access and the University of California All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity.
"It's the bleakest I've ever seen," said one Los Angeles County school principal, who, like others in the principals survey, participated anonymously.
Among the report's findings:
- High-poverty schools were more than four times as likely (65.6% to 15%) as low-poverty schools to experience teacher layoffs.
- 70% of principals reported that summer school had been cut back severely or eliminated. High-poverty schools were almost three times as likely (48.7% to 16.7%) as low-poverty schools to eliminate summer school.
- 48% of principals reported that after-school programs were cut or eliminated -- in many cases, ending tutoring programs.
- Almost one-third of principals reported increased homelessness; several indicated they had never before seen homelessness at their schools.
- Principals in high-poverty schools were three times as likely (44% to 15%) as those from low-poverty schools to say that support services outside school also were slashed. (more)
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