Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees act on expelled students, drone use, salaries, benefits

Expelled students, drone use and employee salaries and benefits are among the topics tackled recently by the five elected trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.

State law requires school districts to provide educational alternatives to expelled students and mandates districts work with the county schools offices to develop plans to work with students under expulsion orders.

“A student whose behavior has resulted in an expulsion is provided a rehabilitation plan which ensures placement in an educational program and establishes the criteria for return” to district campuses, according to the Placentia-Yorba Linda portion of the countywide plan.

Among options for locally expelled students: suspending expulsion order and placing student at the same campus or a different district campus, referral to an alternative district classroom, transfer to another district and referral to programs offered at the county schools office.

So far this school year, trustees have taken action in closed session on 16 expulsions out of some 25,450 students at 34 school sites. Interestingly, countywide numbers for the past five years show one grade K-3 student and 61 grade 4-6 students have been expelled.

A policy on unmanned aircraft systems, commonly called drones, has passed first reading, with adoption anticipated April 17. The policy will apply to district campuses in Yorba Linda, Placentia, Anaheim and Fullerton.

The Yorba Linda City Council adopted strict drone regulations in November.

The school policy states drones must obey Federal Aviation Administration regulations, with operators obtaining a permit at least 72 hours in advance to fly drones over school property.

The policy lists 23 guidelines, including keeping drones “at least 25 feet away from individuals and property” and flying just in the “daylight or civil twilight” – defined as “natural light” – hours.

The district's 764 full-time equivalent classified employees are receiving the same 1 percent salary hike for the current school year as 1,128 certificated employees received earlier (see my Feb. 8 column for a report on teacher pay that now ranges from $50,145 to $103,802).

Also receiving the 1 percent boost are 186 management employees.

The new classified salaries range from $10.64 to $43.42 per hour. Classified management salaries range from $38,998 for a confidential clerk to $173,218 for an executive director. A longevity bonus adds $1,263 at 10 years up to $5,369 at 25 years.

Certificated management salaries range from $86,787 for a first-year psychologist to $173,218 for a seven-year executive director, including merit pay. Longevity bonuses range from $1,641 at 17 years to $7,921 at 25 years.

And a new agreement with Self-Insured Schools of California, a joint powers authority from the Kern County schools office, is expected to save $1.58 million in medical benefit costs for same or better coverage.