Carl Cohn, former superintendent and member of the State Board of Education, will serve as special master to ensure West Contra Costa Unified hires qualified teachers for its classrooms.
In March, a two-year legal battle between the school district and public interest law firm closed with a decision from the California First District Court of Appeal requiring the district to provide all children in the district with a qualified teacher, as required by state law.
Specifically, the court ordered the school district to stop using 30- and 60-day substitutes to fill positions beyond the state’s allowable time limit, and to fill all vacant teaching positions at Stege Elementary School, Helms Middle School and Kennedy High School.
The appointment to West Contra Costa Superior Court on Aug. 27 means Cohn will make recommendations to West Contra Costa Unified on how best to comply with the court order, and will arbitrate and resolve disputes regarding its compliance.
The case, Cleare v. West Contra Costa Unified School District, it was the first time a school district was sued under the Williams Settlement Legislationa 2004 agreement requiring all public school students to have access to adequate textbooks, qualified teachers, and safe and clean facilities.
The ruling overturns a 2024 Contra Costa County Superior Court decision that ruled in favor of the school district.
This story was originally published by EdSource.
