[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6241218,"mediaKeyId","3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d","parentId",3307690,"title","Board approves district use of Multitudes early-literacy screener to meet state requirement","audioSeconds",159,"startMs",5578000,"endMs",5737000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d&start=5578&end=5737","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d/thumbnail_5578000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241218/California/Board-approves-district-use-of-Multitudes-early-literacy-screener-to-meet-state-requirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241218-1169cd9cb0ff5c11b1eedf5b8d529775/orig.mp4?Expires=1770986210&Signature=KM96N1eQkY3p0TpzWsIU0YSgMa4S-NeP3zhAFAGmC9U~NvVAMEaUDgGvc-bYdwUwCs1rRqZo0mZERlAL8sGoa9~nOAQW6HPFCKIgiYcR6PPlNvXBSuu1vB4nSpx4Z1PTZD7zcmxodFKfLXCPqJNZy2x5uvx1hyLDqeNdPn3RPqPEUSIjuV8Iip0Qj-RYbX~1h9R74-UZdxvmFSbypOEIljY90FeObGip9~WLeQ7Q9LpeSl5KK~rlBfxaIqQid1Ti2UXCrD90SxNykZAJKi2rNxwAlwKRaQUZuP-M7TOcvc6R656E1lnYTMY8-jd5jlprsZPwcUnlMUKwloZ-NEux4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tehachapi Unified","date","2025-05-15T00:37:47.177Z","article","The Tehachapi Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 13 approved an agreement with the University of California San Francisco Multitudes program to adopt Multitudes as the district's universal early-literacy screener required by state law.

District staff said the adoption responds to Education Code Section 53008, which requires school districts to adopt an early-literacy-screening instrument by June 30, 2025. Mr. Antasari told trustees that the instructional-services department selected Multitudes and that training will be provided to staff responsible for administering the screener.

Trustees approved the agreement after a motion by Clerk Wood and second by Trustee Cooper; the vote was recorded as approved, carried six-one. Staff clarified that the district will use its BRS tutors (instructional para/BRS tutors) to administer the screeners and that there is no cost to the district for participation.

Board members asked for confirmation of who would administer screenings and whether the district needed extra credentials or role changes; staff replied the BRS tutors would conduct administration and training will be provided to ensure consistent implementation.

The adoption completes the district's immediate legal requirement; staff said training and rollout logistics will follow, and principals and instructional staff will be informed of procedures for screening and follow-up interventions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Board Meeting | 05/13/2025 - 05:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees voted to adopt Multitudes, the University of California San Francisco early-literacy screening tool, to comply with state requirements; the district plans to train BRS tutors to administer the screener and staff reported there is no cost to the district for the instrument.","taxTitle","Tehachapi Unified, School Districts, California","taxId",59437,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241224,"Board approves $860,000 bid for Tehachapi Education Center bleacher and site upgrades",343,5950000,6293000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d&start=5950&end=6293","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d/thumbnail_5950000.jpg","/articles/6241224/California/Board-approves-860000-bid-for-Tehachapi-Education-Center-bleacher-and-site-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241224-bf88d006e0346a3b72b3e941dbafb6fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770986210&Signature=Dt2UXKQ3I0SBnpLTVcoi0b2bJopkfF3hcW-drqGrVmFpQnTp81fYDbTDpUBMocEwoFFHgZFXVY5OWCYTevSAMd~qmYYjzjOE~s2L6QVtXpjc3qfnlrR8ZEO3jHgK14c1N0vbr6JBFFg0ruQEgq6Ddtn6gRda6nsOXcCURGDV6~KW742g7iWYlCNb1IXzZUcma6LCUUe8L5Gwu9xWfMv~iJ8qe-fV5uLnLVvjTpJLLyy-KoKX2pkFtl-S9SrYxa--rxoQpuIqyC4h7wAgdz0tQfUYEWVw4wtKqKVh8j3wB3JFvTx73nWL45vHx-F~cEGAkGZ2fDLEjoUzzbKD4gS9Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tehachapi Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 13 voted 7-0 to award a construction bid of $859,999 to Blackhawk Construction for site work required to replace bleachers at the Tehachapi Education Center, a project district staff said is funded through expanded-learning program dollars.

Trustee Christiansen moved approval of the bid package and Vice President Kelly seconded. \"All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries 7-0,\" Board President Kaminski said after the vote.

District staff told the board the $859,999 package covers the contractor's work to prepare the gym and surrounding areas for new, telescoping bleachers, plus required accessibility upgrades: new exterior doors for ADA ingress and egress, remodeled and expanded restrooms for ADA accessibility, parking revisions, electrical upgrades to accommodate the new bleachers, a new fire-alarm system for the gymnasium and other related site improvements. The bleachers themselves were quoted separately at about $75,000 and have already been ordered; site preparation and code compliance account for the larger share of the total bid, staff said.

Assistant staff explained the funding source is the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, which allows before- and after-school and summer activities spending. The superintendent said staff sought to use available funds for facility improvements at a high-use site; several trustees asked whether funds could instead be used at the middle school gym, and staff explained program rules and timing mean the money is not straightforwardly transferrable to another campus without disrupting expanded-learning services.

District staff said Erwin (seating vendor) will remove the old bleachers and install the new ones; the $859,999 contract covers preparation work and prevailing-wage construction costs. The district said the bleachers are expected to be delivered in July and that the project timeline aims to make the upgraded gym available by fall.

Board members asked for clarity on sequencing, costs for the bleacher equipment and the rationale for using expanded-learning funds at this particular site; staff said architectural and DSA (Division of the State Architect) approvals are part of the process. The board approved the contract to keep the project on schedule.

The bid award authorizes the district to proceed with the contracted site and accessibility upgrades; no changes to district policy were required.","Trustees approved a low bid of $859,999 from Blackhawk Construction to replace bleachers and bring associated site and accessibility features up to code at the Tehachapi Education Center; the district said the work is funded through expanded-learning program resources and requires upgrades beyond the $75,000 bleacher price.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241229,"Parents demand answers after Chromebook 'TikTok' incidents, alleged false arrest and rising safety concerns",2877,5384000,8261000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d&start=5384&end=8261","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d/thumbnail_5384000.jpg","/articles/6241229/California/Parents-demand-answers-after-Chromebook-TikTok-incidents-alleged-false-arrest-and-rising-safety-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241229-5e7ac8a5f196701f90edf98273651b4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770986210&Signature=o9DoFB7X37qdvbWQzFb~jvNfSC2El2jbK~Wegw0Q5h3~iygIUtDG76TzW8eUgFgcv0YDw6I7eeKJ3AssuS2Z0i-s9K6XOSBNbkq1EzAvmpnm2f0poUrr0QxQKXdE4FqIK-sx44asdDcxrEvn8hNv-6FfENmsEQd0nfSkOdGqqK2VnybKWaPo17YBt9UVFVFvvqKM-fTfhvpd6CProHwGQyqrV0apdReN9giMaA5vonjjaxjKGZv-6ojXtXj4sHPQ1hJ~8FhOv4RvX2F5PG4QA7gPcvslHMWRFFqJPUQWpk6CuTiHVL~CJyqYHZPYB7sNx27Rc6yi~TsF0RreodT6QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parents, concerned citizens and staff used the May 13 Tehachapi Unified School District meeting to press the board for clearer answers about student safety after a rash of incidents tied to social media and ongoing bullying.

Several speakers described a recent TikTok challenge that encouraged students to short out Chromebook chargers and potentially ignite batteries. \"We have addressed this at the site level and in the Parent Square message,\" Superintendent Francis Lynch told the board during his update, adding that local administrative responses \"seems to have brought our students' participation to a rapid end.\"

But parents who spoke during public comment said the school's response was uneven and in one case harmful. Jennifer Jolley, a parent, said her 15-year-old son was publicly humiliated and arrested on campus despite, she said, having no credible evidence against him. \"My son never confessed to anything because he had nothing to confess to,\" Jolley said, and she asked the district for a transparent explanation of policies and procedures used in handling the incident. She said other students who admitted to tampering were not arrested.

Tiffany Davidson, who identified herself during public comment, urged the district to clear the student's name and hold the administration accountable: \"You've allowed a lie to go unchecked. You've allowed bias and poor judgment to overrule facts.\" Several other parents described fights, vaping and drug concerns at the middle school and said repeated reports to school staff have not led to consistent corrective action.

Teachers' and staff responses were also raised. Val Bowman, president of the Tehachapi Association of Teachers, said the Chromebook tampering violated Education Code provisions and that destroying property and endangering lives carries legal consequences. Bowman cited Ed. Code 48900(f) (destroying property) and Ed. Code 48900(a) (endangering lives) while urging consistent discipline and community support for staff.

The board heard data from the district's recent California Healthy Kids Survey, which staff said showed mixed results: districtwide participation increased in some grades, but staff-reported perceptions of school safety fell sharply. Andrea Paxton, chief academic officer, said staff survey responses showed an 11% drop in staff perceptions of safety from the prior year and a larger 19% drop over two years; she urged principals to analyze site-level data.

Board members asked staff for site-by-site breakdowns of survey results and pledged to follow up. Superintendent Lynch said the district will provide reports to principals and that sites are using the data to shape MTSS and school-improvement plans. Several parents asked specifically for video evidence and for district staff to produce a clear timeline and rationale for any disciplinary actions that led to arrests.

No board action was recorded to change discipline policy at the May 13 session. Members did say they would investigate individual incidents and asked staff to return with more detailed information.

The public debate at the meeting highlighted an array of concerns — from dangerous social-media challenges to an allegedly wrongful arrest and recurring bullying — and showed the board under pressure to improve transparency and consistency in school-safety responses.","Multiple parents told the Tehachapi Unified board about a TikTok challenge that damaged Chromebooks, a student's arrest the family says was unjust, and broader bullying and safety problems; district officials said incidents were addressed at site level and that participation in dangerous TikTok challenges has dropped after local responses.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241234,"Parents and staff decry handling of school social workers and RTI staffing changes",680,6936000,7616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d&start=6936&end=7616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307690-40f3ef8d5f4a9bf0715c44854dc0978d/thumbnail_6936000.jpg","/articles/6241234/California/Parents-and-staff-decry-handling-of-school-social-workers-and-RTI-staffing-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241234-2a40113a4cbba396a38d57bdf96a66b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770986210&Signature=RNGDQWVdJ9ZHCF33ETISFupLZFcP51PZO8oEh0ONPuJVObfHlhg5tUjxvio6aNyr9e~10Ccm9sY8OLNApQH6C2nXIlW3zluFWVOtnLet-Q2kvW8Fg64V75oIw489Mze3WsT9dWVsbXFuySRhQblrp0UF9Nl-yw6oz9LSHwsJtv-LtLfHHX5n5K~YJPHMB6U23kSSbX0RFdFPeyPv2XkcZ-5DfzcXAZiLFRTgvz9~n1nzqqOOhINj829axirQRKw6q1lWTwuAbzjXZlKziPh96Hi1o7G1qzUZG6ftDNuFGUCbu1uhXv9~48s0MJnaF-ZVaUTyvm1UXjn~6x~-ppfm9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parents, staff and advocates pressed the Tehachapi Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 13 over recent personnel moves that affect school-based mental-health and intervention services, saying the changes risk harming students and the employees who serve them.

The concerns centered on two social worker positions and changes to how Response to Intervention (RTI) and learning-director roles were funded and assigned. \"This practical and professional solution was dismissed,\" said Jessica Smith, a resident, describing a proposal to reclassify two positions as \"mental health clinicians\" to retain their campus roles. Smith said one social worker was told she \"must return next year only as an independent contractor due to credentialing technicalities,\" a change Smith said would strip retirement and benefits.

Smith also urged the board to reconsider how RTI positions are funded after the district preserved intervention teachers by using Title I funds. Smith said the district offered the Golden Hills learning-director job to a candidate without appropriate secondary credentials and that alternative proposals — including sharing leadership between two elementary sites — were dismissed.

The meeting included extended public comment from Brianna Schultz, who identified herself representing the Golden Hills Parent Teacher Organization and said families were \"frustrated and concerned\" about special-education leadership and treatment of families during IEP processes. Schultz alleged patterns of bullying and retaliation by a district special-education manager and said families have filed due-process and civil-rights complaints.

Superintendent Francis Lynch and other staff did not make personnel decisions at the dais during the meeting; multiple public commenters asked the board to direct the district to find permanent, credential-appropriate classifications that preserve employee benefits while maintaining on-campus mental-health services. Board members listened and did not take a formal vote on staffing, but board discussion acknowledged the complexity of funding and credential rules.

The debate continued beyond public comment: parents and educators said the district's solution had been piecemeal and that further collaboration was needed. Speakers asked the board to publicly explain why one title change (to \"school counselor\" using a 1996 job description) was acceptable while another (\"mental health clinician\") was not, and urged the district to use options allowed by CalPERS to preserve accrued sick time if employees remain in district roles.

The public record of the May 13 meeting shows no board motion to change these positions; the district has approved other, unrelated personnel actions and contracts during the session but did not adopt a resolution on the social-worker or RTI classifications. Several parents asked the board to reopen discussion at a future meeting and for staff to provide written details about funding sources and credentialing constraints that shape job assignments.

Board members and district staff said they will take comments under advisement and investigate options that would maintain services on campuses while complying with state credential and payroll rules. Several commenters asked the board to ensure future decisions are more collaborative and transparent so that employees and families are not left with short-term fixes.

The board did not adopt any policy or binding change on these items at the May 13 meeting; speakers asked for follow-up and clearer public explanations of the district's actions going forward.","At the May 13 Tehachapi Unified School District board meeting, parents and staff raised concerns about how the district is restructuring two social worker positions and the reassignment of a learning director while retaining RTI intervention roles; speakers warned those personnel moves undermine student support and dignity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves district use of Multitudes early-literacy screener to meet state requirement

Board approves $860,000 bid for Tehachapi Education Center bleacher and site upgrades

Parents demand answers after Chromebook 'TikTok' incidents, alleged false arrest and rising safety concerns

Parents and staff decry handling of school social workers and RTI staffing changes