Morning Report: Enrollment Surges at Charter Schools
Last week, our Jakob McWhinney posted his analysis and maps of the plunging enrollment in schools across the region. It has generated a lot of discussion. But there are some […] The post Morning Report: Enrollment Surges at Charter Schools appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
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Last week, our Jakob McWhinney posted his analysis and maps of the plunging enrollment in schools across the region. It has generated a lot of discussion.
But there are some schools seeing an uptick in enrollment: charter schools.
Enrollment in charter schools grew 41 percent since 2014, adding 26,000 new students overall. District-run schools lost 12 percent in that same period, or 53,000 students.
Why? Charter schools offer more flexibility and virtual options as well as appeal to families of students with disabilities, McWhinney reports.
What Happened When El Cajon Police Refused to Respond
Our Lisa Halverstadt and intern Tessa Balc revealed this week that El Cajon police quietly stopped responding to certain mental health crisis calls in May.
In a new story, Halverstadt spotlights a June crisis call that spotlights the complexity and risks associated with the police department’s shift.
El Cajon police decided not to respond to the June 12 call, referring it to a civilian county-contracted Mobile Crisis Response Team, which only responds to situations without a perceived safety risk.
A county incident log suggests the team soon witnessed a suicide attempt while El Cajon police say the civilian team said the man didn’t need medical attention and was just a danger to himself.
El Cajon police officials defended their decision not to respond, arguing officers could have escalated the situation. Two experts told Voice of San Diego they think police should have responded.
South County Report: Listen Up, Paloma
South County Reporter Jim Hinch turned his ear to ordinary voters who voiced concerns before the County Board of Supervisors following the swearing-in of new Supervisor Paloma Aguirre.
What do residents want from their new leader?
One woman who lost her daughter to a fentanyl overdose on the streets of Chula Vista wants a functional drug treatment system. To hold nonprofit providers funded by the county accountable.
Another just wants a real, human response from the office of her local lawmaker. A pre-scripted response from some random aide doesn’t help, they said.
Get the South County Report here.
Newly Housed Outpaced Newly Homeless in June
For the first time in months, the number of people becoming homeless in San Diego County was eclipsed by the number of people exiting homelessness.
In June, the Regional Task Force on Homelessness reports that 1,037 people became homeless for the first time and 1,240 moved into housing.
Your monthly reminder: For most of the last couple years, local efforts to house homeless residents haven’t kept up with the flood of people losing their homes. That equation must change to dramatically reduce homelessness.
In Other News
- The county’s top lawyer abruptly retired earlier this week and on Thursday, supervisors voted behind closed doors to appoint county Chief Information Officer David J. Smith to serve as acting county counsel. Smith previously served as acting county counsel in 2021 and as chief deputy county counsel for more than seven years. A county spokesperson said the county will soon begin recruiting a permanent county counsel.
- A Midway District homeless shelter is set to close today. The city’s housing agency said six people remained at the shelter as of Thursday and sources told 10 News some are refusing to leave. A Housing Commission official said there isn’t an option for them to remain and that the agency is continuing to hold beds open in other programs to accommodate those at the Midway shelter.
- It’s been almost five years since city voters signed off on a measure to bolster police oversight and the Union-Tribune reports that the Commission on Police Practices still can’t conduct independent probes.
- Times of San Diego reveals that up to 10 federal prosecutors have departed the San Diego U.S. Attorney’s office since January.
The Morning Report was written by MacKenzie Elmer and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña and Scott Lewis.
The post Morning Report: Enrollment Surges at Charter Schools appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
