Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson is known as a friendly and cheerful guy who, if he wasn't heading the state's third-largest school district, could make a good living as a used-car salesman. (Or so he has reportedly said.) One of his favorite catchphrases, usually accompanied by a hashtag, is Militant...
Fresno Teachers to Trustees: Clovis Teachers Got $4K, Pay Us $3,200
After years of rocky relations, Fresno Unified's management and teachers union have enjoyed a few years of what both describe as a collegial partnership. But a rift has formed over how to allocate $8 million for healthcare funding — leaving observers to wonder if the two sides are preparing to...
Superintendent Looks to Shake Up Roles to Boost Fresno Student Performance
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson wants to put even more focus on improving students' academic performance by restructuring one of the district's top jobs and reorganizing the functions of others. A proposal on Wednesday's School Board agenda would redefine the duties of the deputy superintendent and chief financial officer positions....
New School-Opening Guidelines Bring Good News for Special Needs Students
Like many students across the Valley, Jodie Howard's son has struggled with distance learning since schools closed abruptly last March due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has autism and has a hard time understanding why his computer, once a source of gaming fun, now represents hard work and challenges as...
Nelson Talks About Leading State’s 3rd-Largest School District and His Ukulele
Fresno Unified superintendent Bob Nelson says his strategies for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, schools closures, and critics include having thick skin, kindness, and playing the ukulele. Nelson's comments came during a recent EdSource podcast with Carl Cohn, professor emeritus and clinical professor in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont...
Fresno Unified Investigates ‘Offensive’ Tweets About DACA but Not Anti-Trump Facebook Posts
Fresno Unified School District has launched another investigation of an employee's social media postings that have been deemed offensive. The latest investigation involves a staffer at Design Science Middle College High School who reportedly tweeted in 2017 and 2018 about immigration and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or...
Teachers Union: FUSD Should Protect Health Fund in 2020-21 Budget
The Fresno Teachers Association says Fresno Unified School District's proposals to balance the 2020-21 budget could result in higher healthcare costs for employees and will reassign teachers from much-needed special assignment roles. In addition, the FTA says the district should dip into its substantial "rainy day" reserves fund to make...
Fresno Unified to Parents: Please Take Survey on Reopening Schools in August
Fresno Unified parents can weigh in on what they would like to see schools look like when they reopen in August by answering a survey posted on the district's website or through the Parent Portal. The survey includes questions about how students who previously took a bus could get to...
RIP, Janet Ryan: She Championed Children, Good Government
Fresno leaders are mourning the death Wednesday of Janet Martino Ryan, a champion of children and an advocate for good government. Ryan, 80, served 12 years as a Fresno Unified School District trustee representing the Hoover High School region. The district named Hoover's academic building in her honor in 2016...
Will Nelson Rid FUSD of the Incompetent and the Indifferent?
Some of the photos accompanying this column make me wonder if Fresno Unified will ever get its act together. Listen to this article: As you can see, the conditions in this special education storage room and teachers' office at Figarden Elementary School are appalling. Rat feces and urine are...