California District Mulls Over How To Place New Teachers Hired With Edujobs Funding

The Palo Alto (CA) Daily News (12/14, Eslinger) reports, "Months after it had to lay off about 35 teachers, the Redwood City School District has received enough one-time federal funds to hire 20 or so teachers for the rest of the school year." District officials will meet Wednesday to discuss "the best way to use the new teachers." According to the Daily News, "the district wants the new hires to help current teachers," but the teachers union "wants the new teachers to be given their own classrooms" so that "class sizes overall could shrink closer to pre-layoff levels." Deputy Superintendent John Baker told the Daily News that "moving students into new classes mid-year could be 'somewhat stressful' for" students. Meanwhile, Bret Baird, vice president of the Redwood City Teachers Association, said, "If it's done right, I don't believe it's so traumatic. ... The kids would get more individualized attention for the rest of the year."