4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT
Did A Little Election In Bridgeport, Ct. Strike A Big Blow To Education ®Eform?
Progressives and unions say a primary in Connecticut last week shows momentum is turning against the corporate-backed charter-school movement. ●●smf: Can’t we say the same about the recent LA School Board elections? by Molly Ball – The Atlantic - http://bit.ly/1aZvwXi Paul Vallas was hailed for his work in post-Katrina New Orleans, but controversy has dogged him in his current post in
HOW ARE THE SCHOOLS DOING? THIS YEAR, DON’T ASK - or - Jerry Brown’s George Wallace moment
By Peter Schrag, Special to The Sacramento Bee - http://bit.ly/1aR5Eco Published: Friday, Sep. 20, 2013 - 12:00 am :: Gov. Jerry Brown’s George Wallace act seems just a little forced. Standing defiantly against the feds in the schoolhouse door as the Alabama governor once did is probably not his shtick. Schrag> But Brown, who this week suggested American schools were just fine before
LCFF: A WHOLE NEW BUREAUCRACY. Teacher, two superintendents to hold key positions on funding law’s new agency
By John Fensterwald, EdSource Today http://bit.ly/18fXKqR September 19th, 2013 :: Consistent with the goal of shifting power over education decisions away from Sacramento, the Local Control Funding Formula law creates a new agency to work with, not dictate to, local districts on how to meet their improvement goals. In the first step toward launching the California Collaborative for
Arrest Led To No Charges In Against Teacher Named In Molestation Suit
A former El Sereno Elementary teacher named in a molestation lawsuit against the LAUSD was arrested in 2010, but charges weren't filed. By Stephen Ceasar and Howard Blume, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1aR1ykE September 19, 2013, 9:21 p.m. :: A former El Sereno Elementary School teacher accused of molesting three former students was arrested on suspicion of sexual battery and lewd acts on
U P D A T E: Lausd Responds To El Sereno Teacher Molestation Claims
Leo Stallworth, KABC News Team | http://bit.ly/16elcJc Thursday, September 19, 20173LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles Unified School District says the dismissal process began as soon as allegations were made that an El Sereno Elementary School teacher was molesting students. The LAUSD's comments come in response to a lawsuit filed against the district on behalf of three children
No Child Left Untableted
By CARLO ROTELLA, Opinion in the New York Times sunday Magazine | http://nyti.ms/16kISVg Brian Finke for The New York Times September 12, 2013 :: Sally Hurd Smith, a veteran teacher, held up her brand-new tablet computer and shook it as she said, “I don’t want this thing to take over my classroom.” It was late June, a month before the first day of school. In a sixth-grade classroom in
The ACLU explains it all for you: IT IS UP TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE LCFF FUNDS ARE USED RESPONSIBLY THIS YEAR
These are the best single page authorities I've seen on the local control funding formula and local control accountability plan; I suggest they be redistributed far and wide. The most important message: IT IS UP TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE LCFF FUNDS ARE USED RESPONSIBLY THIS YEAR. Against the backdrop of that message I note that LAUSD has invested $0 from the initial $113 million
SEP 19
Cyberbullying: FEDERAL COURT BACKS STUDENT DISCIPLINE FOR OFF-CAMPUS E-THREATS
By Kimberly Beltran | SI&A Cabinet Report | http://bit.ly/1fcD0W2 Thursday, September 19, 2013 :: In a ruling that, for the first time, provides specific guidance to school administrators addressing issues such as cyberbullying and threats via technology, a federal court has determined that school officials can discipline students for certain off-campus electronic communications. The case
Testing Impasse - EDUCATION SECRETARY DUNCAN’S THREATS MAY BE MORE BLUFF THAN BULLY: “Virtually no chance of a drastic rollback in funding.”
By Tom Chorneau | SI&A Cabinet Report | http://bit.ly/19jM6KD Thursday, September 19, 2013 :: With Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan locked on a collision course over student testing, school officials and policy-makers in California are bracing for the Obama administration to make good on their threat to withhold potentially billions in federal funds. Or,
DONT FEAR COMMON CORE + smf’s 2¢
With the curriculum, coming soon to California, students and teachers are discovering new ways of reading, thinking and communicating with one another. By Andrew Vega, Op-ED in the LA Times | http://lat.ms/16quMTe Teacher Vivian Hanson watches while her students work on a class project in her 7th grade Language Arts a class at Santiago Elementary School in Santa Ana. Hanson is using the
Child Abuse Cases Surface At El Sereno Elementary School As District Continues To Settle Miramonte Lawsuits
3 former El Sereno students accuse teacher of molestation By Howard Blume, L.A. Times | http://lat.ms/17M3dXs Attorney Luis Carrillo, who represents Miramonte families, has now filed a separate case alleging molestation at El Sereno Elementary. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times / March 2, 2012) September 18, 2013, 8:35
Big Schoolmarm is watching: GLENDALE’S CYBER-NOSEY SCHOOLS
School officials' motives in having students' cyber-postings monitored may be well intentioned, but the practice is a slippery slope. Editorial by By The LA Times editorial board | http://lat.ms/1a6XZG4 Young Cho, left, here with Hoover High classmate Christopher Chung, thinks the school district's monitoring program goes too far. (Los Angeles Times / September 12, 2013) September
SEP 18
Editorial: LAUSD BOARD GETS LOW GRADE FOR WORK HABITS + smf’s 2¢
Los Angles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1aM1TFj LAUSD Board President Richard Vladovic. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News) 9/18/13, 2:47 PM PDT :: After a week of mounting criticism for its indecision, micromanaging and general dysfunction, the Los Angeles school board figured to be on its best behavior in a public meeting Tuesday. If that was its best behavior, our kids are
Squabbling? Paralysis? – FEDS SAY NO TO CALIFORNIA TESTING SUSPENSION; GOV. BROWN STANDS HIS GROUND
Brown not backing away from decision to suspend state standardized tests By John Fensterwald | EdSource Today | http://bit.ly/1aLV2eY September 17th, 2013 :: Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday defended the state’s decision to suspend state standardized tests this year and instead offer students a practice test in the Common Core standards
Squabbling? Paralysis? Conflicts? Dysfunction? Chaos? – Call it What You Will. WELCOME TO ADULTS OUT OF ‘LOCAL CONTROL’!
L.A. Unified leaders don't make the grade The needs of the district's 600,000-plus students seem to be a secondary concern for administrators and a union mired in squabbling, paralysis. By Steve Lopez, LA Times columnist | http://lat.ms/18a3h44 L.A. Unified board President Richard Vladovic confers with Supt.
4 articles in 140 characters or less: MORE TALKING THAN SOME WOULD WISH. BUT LAUSD BOARD OKs COMMON CORE BUDGET
@howardblume tweeted : “More talking than some would wish, but L.A.Unified board OKs budget item whose handling led to criticism” Never heard of a teacher coach? LA Unified Common Core budget buys 122 Annie Gilbertson | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/14jUBGY Annie Gilbertson/KPCC September 18th, 2013, 10:55am :: The board deliberated
SEP 17
L.A. MAYOR GARCETTI BACKS JOHN DEASY, SEEKS TO END FEUD BETWEEN LAUSD LEADERS, BOARD + smf’s 2¢
By Barbara Jones, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1boXVVP In this Aug. 8, 2013 file photo, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAUSD Superintendent Dr. John Deasy talk prior to Deasy's annual Administrators' Meeting at Hollywood High School. (Andy Holzman/Los Angeles Daily News) 9/16/13, 10:29 PM PDT | Updated: 7 AM 9/17 :: Amid mounting tension between Los Angeles Unified’s
Opinion: NO WAY TO RUN A SCHOOL BOARD + smf’s 2¢
L.A. Times Editorial: The new board needs to figure out its proper role, and soon. By The Times editorial board | http://lat.ms/1a0kiwU September 17, 2013 :: During a special meeting Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified school board will try to figure out how the district should spend more than $113 million in one-time funding to get teachers and students ready for the Common Core
SEP 16
¡Keep on eye on Michelle! : MERROW GIVES UP ON GOING AFTER RHEE/FORMER UNION POLITICAL DIRECTOR JOINS HER IN CALIFORNIA
No More Rhee by John Merrow | Taking Note | http://bit.ly/14XdfHo Former Union Aide Joins StudentsFirst As CA Director by Chase Niesner, L,A, School Report | http://t.co/oAbVqg5xft 12. Sep, 2013 :: I am done reporting about Michelle Rhee. For one thing, there are many education stories of greater
MY LAUSD JOURNEY, a farewell message by Jaime Aquino
from L.A. Schools Report | http://bit.ly/1eX4fno 13 September 2013 Dear Colleagues, Three years ago, Dr. Deasy convinced me to join his team in implementing an ambitious agenda to ensure that all schools in the City of Los Angeles were places of academic excellence. I believe that under his leadership this vision is closer to becoming a reality. As much as I would want to continue on this
Is Dr. D Next? - AQUINO’S RESIGNATION TURNS THE SPOTLIGHT ONTO DEASY
Analysis by Hillel Aron, L.A.School Report | http://bit.ly/14bQE7t September 16, 2013 :: Jaime Aquino‘s surprise announcement Friday that he’ll resign from Superintendent John Deasy‘s staff at the end of the year has sent shockwaves throughout LA Unified. Tomorrow, the district school board will take up the matter in closed session.
HOW TO IMPROVE LOS ANGELES SCHOOLS? KIDS SAY MORE SPORTS, BETTER LUNCHES, REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD OF ED + smf’s 2¢
Ben Bergman Ben Bergman/KPCC | A student speaks at a weekend forum hosted by United Way, where student leaders weighed in the future of the Los Angeles Unified School District. September 16th, 2013, 6:15am | The future of the Los Angeles Unified School District is endlessly debated by politicians, parents, teachers and unions. This weekend, 160 high school student leaders got their chance
More School Districts In L,A, County Taking Less Punitive Approach To Truancy
By Barbara Jones, Los Angeles Daily News and Rob Kuznia, LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/15ypubT Posted: 09/03/13, 7:58 PM PDT | :: A growing number of school districts and public agencies in Los Angeles County have joined a campaign to take a less punitive and more holistic approach to truancy — and education officials insist it’s paying off. School officials from all over the county held a
U.S. Education Secretary Eases On Threat To Withhold Federal Funds From California Over Testing
By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/181C4Rb
A SHOWDOWN ON COMMON CORE TESTING: Neither California nor Education Secretary Arne Duncan can claim the high ground in their clash over new standards tests
Editorial By The Times Editorial board |http://lat.ms/187mzFq California and the Obama administration disagree on standardized testing during the state's transition to the Common Core curriculum standards. Above, President Obama is seen with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2012. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) September 16, 2013 :: When it comes to education
Lausd Seeks To End Confusion And Fights Over Parent Trigger Law
School board votes to require public informational meetings about campuses targeted in parent petition campaigns. By Teresa Watanabe | Los Angeles Times.com | http://lat.ms/1aFFVDZ At Lennox Middle School, parents decided against a petition campaign and instead worked with teachers and administrators to obtain more electives and other desired changes. Above, Sherrie Thomas, 13, passes
SEP 15
“Big Teacher is Watching You”: GLENDALE UNIFIED SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING IS FOR STUDENT SAFETY
By Stephen Ceasar, LA Times | http://lat.ms/16ac1nd September 15, 2013 :: Hoover High School junior Christopher Chung learned while scrolling through Facebook that his school was monitoring students' online activities. Christopher saw an article posted by a friend about the Glendale Unified School District hiring a company to screen students' social media posts. The school district had been
Leveraging Jaime Aquino'S Resignation To Push For Authentic Reform
originally published as: Joining Forces for Education's statement on using Broad's Jaime Aquino's resignation to push for authentic reforms by Robert D. Skeels in L.A. Schools Matter | http://bit.ly/184WTcE Once Broad alumni are working inside the education system, they naturally favor hiring other Broadies, which ups the leverage…" — Sharon Higgins [●●smf, on the image above: CALL THE
SEP 14
Diane Ravitch: LOUD VOICE FIGHTING TIDE OF NEW TREND IN EDUCATION
By MOTOKO RICH, New York Times | http://nyti.ms/15tKqRh Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times Diane Ravitch has become a hero to the left for opposing conventional wisdom on fixing schools. September 11, 2013 :: Diane Ravitch made her name in the 1970s as a historian chronicling the role of public schools in American social mobility. In the 1990s, she went to work in the Bush
DEPUTY SUPT. AQUINO DEPARTS L.A. UNIFIED, BLASTS “DYSFUNCTIONAL” SCHOOL BOARD + additional coverage
By Howard Blume | Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/1ddpzTP Jaime Aquino, left, has resigned from his post of deputy superintendent with the Los Angeles Unified School District. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / August 5, 2013) September 13, 2013, 9:06 p.m. :: Calling the Los Angeles Board of Education dysfunctional and warning that academic progress is at stake, a senior school district