West Contra Costa Unified School District

January 17, 2020

Closing a middle school and converting others to K-8 stirs opposition

The school board and others in West Contra Costa Unified did not approve a plan to convert six elementary schools into K-8 schools next year.

Theresa Harrington

January 15, 2020

San Francisco Bay Area parents declare state of emergency over district’s failure to educate black children

Parents want the district to allocate $7.2 million to improve services for the district’s 5,000 African-American students.

Theresa Harrington

January 14, 2020

San Francisco Bay Area district’s budget cuts may hurt neediest students, advocates fear

West Contra Costa school board on Wednesday to begin reviewing suggestions for nearly $50 million in cuts over two years to balance budget.

Theresa Harrington

January 10, 2020

Questions swirl about origins of $40 million deficit

Cutting nearly $40 million in West Contra Costa Unified triggers layoff worries, stirs distrust and puts superintendent’s job in jeopardy.

Theresa Harrington

November 22, 2019

East Bay board agrees to ask taxpayers to vote in March to approve $575 million bond measure

The district measure will appear on the March ballot with a statewide construction bond measure that could provide matching funds to many districts.

Theresa Harrington

November 19, 2019

Supporters urge board to keep East Bay superintendent despite budget crisis

West Contra Costa Unified school board agrees to keep superintendent at the helm while searching for ways to bridge $48 million budget gap.

Theresa Harrington

November 15, 2019

East Bay board may consider firing superintendent amid fiscal crisis

A $48 million budget deficit is threatening the job of Superintendent Matthew Duffy. A special school board meeting on Friday is expected to focus on possible termination of his contract.

Theresa Harrington

October 21, 2019

East Bay district struggles with role of tutors in student learning

Bay Area district saved some tutor positions at reduced hours after critics said eliminating the positions would hurt the neediest students.

Theresa Harrington

October 17, 2019

Frustration surfaces over redesign at East Bay school

Frustration with the pace of redesign surfaces at Stege Elementary, selected for an overhaul as one of California's lowest-performing schools.

Ashley A. Smith

July 18, 2019

Amid budget deficits, Bay Area district braces for cuts, spending reserves

Like Oakland Unified, West Contra Costa faces budget deficits and sought help from its county office of education.

Theresa Harrington

July 9, 2019

Bay Area school redesigns its program to help students graduate

De Anza High School in West Contra Costa Unified in the East Bay has seen its graduation rate rise higher than the statewide average from 2014-15 to 2017-18.