Southwest
Arizona school district takes huge blow to enrollment as parents choose other options
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Arizona’s second-largest school district cut staff after losing enrollment due to “competition with charter schools.”
Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Superintendent Franklin R. Narducci on Wednesday cited declines in enrollment since 2023, a year after lawmakers passed universal school choice to give parents options to choose schools outside of neighborhood public schools.
Narducci further cited several factors driving enrollment loss, including “competition with charter schools,” escalating costs of homeownership and declining birth rates.
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CUSD’s governing board on Wednesday voted to cut around 60 positions in administration, among deans and coaching roles.
Chandler Unified School District Superintendent Franklin R. Narducci on Wednesday cited declines in enrollment since 2023, a year after lawmakers passed universal school choice to give parents options to choose schools outside of neighborhood public schools. (iStock)
Lana Berry, chief financial officer for the district, said enrollment dropped to over 4000 students since 2022 and is projected to continue dropping.
After all the staff cuts, CUSD remains the second-largest district in Arizona and the second-largest employer in the East Valley.
“Arizona public school districts are in an unfortunate and critical position due to the state legislature’s historical underfunding of public education,” Chandler Education Association President Laurel Miller reportedly said in an email.
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Miller reportedly cited the nearly $3 billion in taxpayer funds allocated to Arizona’s “fraud-ridden” ESA voucher program, which, she claimed, led to “unnecessary enrollment declines — forcing districts to make dire decisions like cutting beloved staff and closing community schools.”
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey speaks during a news conference as Dr. Cara M. Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, looks on, at the Banner Health COVID-19 vaccine point of distribution at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix Dec. 16, 2020. (David Wallace/The Arizona Republic via USA Today Network)
Arizona became the first state to offer universal school choice for all families in 2022, launching an $800 million program that gives parents $7,000 to put toward their children’s tuition. Several other states followed, indicating a trend of parents seeking alternative options to traditional public schools.
According to local outlet KPHO, a teacher spoke during the school district meeting Wednesday, saying teachers are being spread too thin.
“I feel like what they’re going to be asked to do is too much for a single person to do because they’re going to be doing essentially the work of three people in the time of one. And I’m very concerned about the sustainability of that,” the teacher said. “I also worry that some families will say, ‘I want a librarian at my school,’ and they’ll leave and go to charter schools.”
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Most states restrict parents to schools within their zip code or school district, but charter schools allow families to choose alternatives.
Several other states followed Arizona in passing universal school choice, indicating a trend of parents seeking alternative options to traditional public schools. ( )
Charter schools compete with traditional public schools for students and per-pupil funding.
Critics argue that money taken away from traditional public schools could be used to boost teachers’ salaries, invest in public schools and recruit more teachers.
Charter schools often face criticism from teachers unions because they compete with public schools for per-pupil funding and parents are allowed to opt out of their neighborhood public schools.
Tucson Unified School District, based in Tucson, Arizona, experienced similar losses last year. The district faced financial and enrollment struggles after universal school choice passed in the state in 2022.
CUSD officials did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Deputies reveal what led to violent L.A. County bus crash that injured 13 people
Authorities revealed new details Wednesday afternoon about the violent Santa Clarita crash involving a city transit bus, an overturned semi truck and two other vehicles that left 13 people injured.
According to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, the driver of a semi truck hauling a full load of gravel may have been traveling as fast as 70 mph when the vehicle approached a yellow light at the intersection of Golden Valley Road and Centre Pointe Parkway around 9:30 a.m.
Investigators said the driver then attempted to make a right turn to avoid running the red light before crashing into the bus and two passenger vehicles.
“[The driver] tried to make a right-hand turn to avoid running the red light and then crashed into the bus and the other two passenger vehicles,” Capt. Brandon Barclay of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station told KTLA.
Officials noted that the speed limit on Golden Valley Road is 50 mph.
Sky5 aerial footage showed the heavily damaged Santa Clarita Transit bus pushed onto a curb while the semi truck overturned nearby, and another vehicle appeared pinned beneath the front right side of the bus.
“When you look at it, it looks like a scene from Universal CityWalk,” Barclay said.
Authorities said 13 people were injured in the crash.
One passenger seated in the back of the bus had to be freed using the Jaws of Life and remained hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday afternoon, KTLA’s Angeli Kakade reported.
Seven additional people were transported to hospitals while five others declined medical treatment at the scene.
“You have a bus that was hit by a semi truck, so it’s very impactful for this community,” Barclay added.
Former Santa Clarita transit bus driver Darryl Richardson said he was stunned when he saw the aftermath of the crash.
“I know how a person feels to see a big old truck coming right at you,” Richardson told KTLA. “Thank God if it had broadsided the driver, we’d be talking about a different conversation right now.”
The City of Santa Clarita said road closures around the crash scene were expected to continue for several hours as deputies investigated what led up to the collision.
All directions of Centre Pointe Parkway between Golden Valley Road and Ruether Avenue remained closed Wednesday afternoon. Eastbound Golden Valley Road was also shut down from Robert C. Lee Parkway to Centre Pointe Parkway.
Drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
The crash remains under investigation.
Los Angeles, Ca
Burglary reported in San Fernando Valley hours after officials announce arrests
Just hours after officials announced arrests connected to a string of residential burglaries, another one was reported in the San Fernando Valley.
According to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson, the incident took place just before 1:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 5000 block of Bluebell Avenue, which is located in the Valley Village neighborhood.
The person who lives in the home was too shaken to appear on camera but told KTLA that three masked suspects broke in while she was inside and took off within minutes.
The LAPD spokesperson was unable to confirm that detail, or any other details, right away. It was unclear whether anything was taken from the home.
The alleged break-in came less than a day after L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and other officials announced arrests in a string of burglaries mainly plaguing the San Fernando Valley. At a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass said there has been a 30% reduction year-to-date in property crimes and burglaries.
The LAPD says part of their strategy is to saturate areas, like the Valley, that have been targeted disproportionately, using visible officers and others “behind the scenes.”
“Burglaries in the city are down over 30%, reflecting the effectiveness of our proactive enforcement and prevention strategies,” LAPD Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard said. “We are aware that the burglary crews are highly organized and sophisticated, and we are constantly adjusting our strategies to counteract their tactics.”
That said, the LAPD is down anywhere from 800 to 1,400 police officers. The mayor said she’s fighting to hire more and is using mental health professionals on calls which don’t require a police officer.
Los Angeles, Ca
Detectives investigating if La Cañada burglary is connected to string of recent break-ins
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a burglary, which happened on the 1200 block of El Vago Drive in La Cañada Flintridge on May 2.
The burglary happened around 7:20 p.m. Detectives are actively investigating if the burglary is connected to a string of other recent burglaries in L.A. County.
A woman who lives in the area contacted KTLA about the burglary after she noticed that security camera footage of the suspects matched the suspects seen in a different burglary in Studio City. During the Studio City burglary, the suspects attacked a Good Samaritan with bear spray.
LASD Capt. Ryan Vienna called the rash of burglaries in the region “unacceptable.” LASD has deployed additional deputies to the La Cañada Flintridge area in response to the burglary.
“I ask all members of the community to promptly report suspicious activity or crimes in progress, as well as cooperate with our investigators so we may apprehend those who would or have caused harm,” Vienna said.
No other details have been revealed in the case as it remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact LASD at (818) 236-4015.
Burglaries are an ongoing problem across Southern California in recent months. On May 5, four men were arrested for stealing more than $100,000 in valuables form a Thousand Oaks home, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
LASD provided following burglary prevention tips:
- Lock all doors and windows, even when home
- Keep exterior lights on during nighttime hours
- Utilize alarm systems and surveillance cameras if available
- Avoid leaving valuables visible from outside the home
- Collect mail and packages promptly
- Report suspicious persons or vehicles in your neighborhood immediately
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