4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT
Action Alert: ARTS GROUP RECRUITING PARENTS TO PUSH LA UNIFIED TO PRODUCE TARDY ARTS EDUCATION BUDGET
Mary Plummer | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC | http://bit.ly/1o5BDNm Mary Plummer/KPCC February 7th, 2014, 12:28pm :: Shana Habel, Los Angeles Unified's Dance Demonstration Teacher, leads a class of teachers at Cortines high school during a training in summer 2013. Frustrated at the Los Angeles Unified School District's seven month delay in producing a budget for its much ballyhooed arts
CRENSHAW HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR TEAHER TAKES STUDENTS ON FIELD TRIP TO FRANCE AND THE WHITE HOUSE, GOES TO TEACHER JAIL : 5 stories + smf’s 2¢
John Marshall High Wins Lausd Academic Decathlon
The team takes first place with 55,785.7 out of a possible 65,400 points. Previous winners Granada Hills Charter and El Camino Real Charter - as well as Franklin and Grant - also advance to the state level. By Alicia Banks, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1jm3fxp Marshall High School coach Larry Welch reacts to his team winning the L.A. Unified Academic Decathlon at Hollywood High School on
YESTERDAY
L.A. SCHOOL OFFICIALS BARRED FROM ACCESS TO CURRICULUM FOR iPADS
By Howard Blume, la tIMES | http://lat.ms/1gT0V0w Bianca Gomez, left, Humberto Salazar and Doroteo Cruz are happy to receive iPads at Theodore Roosevelt High School, as part of the first phase of L.A. Unified's iPad rollout. The district approved Tuesday the next phase of the plan, which includes distributing iPads to students at 38 more schools. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) February
FEB 06
LA SCHOOL OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE THEY IGNORED COMPUTER INVENTORIES IN LATEST iPAD PURCHASE
LAUSD’s Chief Information Officer, asked why new data wasn’t taken into account, said they didn’t need to because the plan all along was to buy more iPads. Annie Gilbertson, | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC | http://bit.ly/1l3t57k Maya Sugarman/KPCC February 6th, 2014, 5:31pmOfficials with the Los Angeles Unified School district acknowledged at a public meeting Thursday afternoon that they did
Adults Behaving Badly: Zero-tolerance wins/Restorative justice loses/Justice undone/Kids are expelled - ADMINISTRATOR QUITS, SAYS O.C. DISTRICT FUMBLED CHEATING SCANDAL
Jane Garland says 11 expelled students were arbitrarily selected, and some knew of a scheme to hack into the Newport-Mesa Unified School District's computers but didn't participate. By Christopher Goffard, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1g6Gatm February 5, 2014, 9:23 p.m. :: Deepening the intrigue in a cheating scandal that has shaken one of the state's top schools, an administrator for a coastal
Lausd Employees Take To Facebook To Voice Anger Over Lack Of Repairs
One teacher says the Facebook page shines a light on the poor conditions of the schools at a time when $1 billion is being spent on iPads By Christina Cocca and Robert Kovacik, KNBC News | http://bit.ly/1eYlG3P Thursday, Feb 6, 2014 | Updated 1:50 AM PST :: Los Angeles Unified School District workers have taken to social media to showcase their anger over crumbling buildings and insect
ABUSE CHARGES DROPPED AGAIST SECOND MIRAMONTE TEACHER + smf’s 2¢
Prosecutors dismiss the case after the girl who alleged the abuse declined to testify against Martin Springer. L.A. Unified stands by its decision to fire Springer and pay $3 million in settlements. By Alan Zarembo and Howard Blume | LA Times | http://lat.ms/1iv2P4G February 5, 2014, 7:33 p.m. :: Los Angeles County prosecutors have dropped their case against a Miramonte Elementary
Deasy Addresses “School Choice Week” Photo-Op Event At Union Station
by smf for 4LAKidsNews from the NSCW Facebook Page. How many kids do you see who should’ve been in school? 6 Feb 2014 :: A week ago Dr. John Deasy, the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District took time from his busy schedule running the nation’s second largest school district and testifying for the plaintiffs in the Vergara v. California lawsuit (the plaintiffs allege that
FEB 05
L.A. Unified Meets Over How To Fill School Board Vacancy
By Howard Blume, LA Times | http://lat.ms/LQaDTh February 5, 2014, 6:00 a.m. :: A Los Angeles Board of Education committee charged with developing a process to appoint a caretaker for the vacant District 1 seat will be unable to fill the post with a voting member. The meeting at district headquarters downtown Tuesday evening was chaired by board member Steve Zimmer, who asserted that he
Anonymous L.A. School Employees Turn To Facebook To Spotlight Needed Repairs
Annie Gilbertson| Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/1cQSzTk Repairs Not iPads/Facebook | A photo posted on a Facebook group called "repairs not iPads." February 4th, 2014, 6:30am :: Los Angeles Unified School District staff have taken to Facebook to put a spotlight on crumbling school infrastructure and neglected repairs - and shame officials. Photos posted on a group page called
FEB 04
Lcff: California’S School Money Fight Heads To A New Venue
Posted by Dan Walters to Sacramento Bee Capitol Alert | http://bit.ly/1fXilEh Monday, February 3, 2014 2:16 PM | :: The Office of Administrative Law is an obscure branch of the governor's office that was created more than three decades ago, during Jerry Brown's first governorship, to ensure that rules issued by state agencies comply with the law. That function makes it the next venue for
What parents know: THE ARTS MATTER
by Joe Landon and Colleen You, EdSource Today | http://bit.ly/1lyup5C 1February 4th, 2014 :: The new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) recognizes the critical role parents play in the education of their children – and embeds it into law by requiring parents’ input into local school district budgets and accountability plans. We are excited about the opportunities for parents,
FEB 03
Klcs: Lausd’S Television Station Launches Channel Sharing Experiment
Two L.A. area stations test carriage of each other’s program streams Doug Lung / RF Report | TVTechnology | http://bit.ly/LskjTl 2.03.2014 10:32AM :: CTIA, the Wireless Association, the industry group that represents international wireless telecommunications, announced a pilot channel-sharing project that it called a response to the FCC’s recent request to “demonstrate the technical
DEASY PROVIDES FODDER FOR BOTH SIDES IN LAWSUIT + smf’s 2¢
In Vergara v. California, a groundbreaking trial over teacher job protections, L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy was a star witness — for both sides. By Howard Blume, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1lxac0d "We who hire cannot make a judgment to fire," Supt. John Deasy testified. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times / November 15, 2013) February 2, 2014, 6:58 p.m. :: In a groundbreaking trial
STATE FINDS ERRORS IN L.A. SCHOOLS ’ iPAD MATH LESSONS
Annie Gilbertson, Education Reporter | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/1gGFgse Maya Sugarman/KPCC February 3rd, 2014, 6:01am :: The California Department of Education has held off complete state approval for global publishing giant Pearson's Common Core math curriculum until it corrects errors found in every grade. The lessons are the same that
"Berndt swept everybody up into this horror.” – ANOTHER MIRAMONTE CHILD ABUSE CASE EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS
Obscured by the publicity surrounding teacher Mark Berndt is the case of Martin Springer, whose criminal trial is set to begin this week. By Alan Zarembo, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1dmhIkt February 2, 2014, 8:32 p.m. :: The 2012 child abuse scandal at Miramonte Elementary became the biggest and costliest in the history of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Police said
The view from Down Under: iPADS AT SCHOOL, HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG?
Gadgets on the go by Adam Turner in the Sydney Morning Herald | http://bit.ly/1bVoVZ3 January 31, 2014 :: More kids than ever set off for school with a tablet in their bag this week. Do they need it? My son started Grade 5 this week. Let's call him Mars, the codename we use when we don't want him to know we're talking about him. Mars was very excited
FEB 02
INVITATION: An LAUSD Briefing on the NCLB/ESEA Waiver granted to CORE Districts
by e-Mail Please join Dr. John Deasy, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 from 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for an important briefing on the NCLB/ESEA waiver that was granted to districts who are members of the California Office to Reform Education (CORE). This is an opportunity to hear the District’s perspective on the new federal waiver and
How We Teach Kids To Cheat On Tests
By Vicki Abeles from Valerie Strauss’ Answer Sheet/The Washington Post | http://wapo.st/1nEqIKp February 2 at 10:00 am :: Here is a piece about a cheating scandal in Wisconsin that speaks to a much larger problem about how and why kids cheat on tests. It was written by Vicki Abeles, a filmmaker, attorney and advocate for students and education. She is the
Nine Lausd Schools Compete In Healthy-Cooking Contest
By Brenda Gazzar, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1bk7Vi8 LAUSD "Cooking Up Change" culinary competition for high school students held at LA Trade Technical College. First place winners from Manual Arts High School are Jenifer Mendez, left ,and Kimberly Sanchez. BBQ Chicken Pizza, Spicy Bean Dip and Tropical Burst salad. (Thurs. Jan 30, 2014 Photo by Brad Graverson/The Daily Breez
El Camino, Marshall #1 & #2 In Lausd Aca-Deca Super Quiz, A Tie In La County Super Quiz, Irvine Uni High Wins Jpl Science Bowl
El Camino Real Charter High School wins LAUSD Super Quiz By The LA Times Staff | http://lat.ms/MNmIt9 The citywide academic decathlon Super Quiz took place Saturday at the Roybal Learning Center in downtown L.A. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times / February 1, 2014) February 1, 2014, 9:44 p.m. :: El Camino Real Charter High School won the Los Angeles Unified School
FEB 01
VERGARA v. CA: EdSource Today editor, attorneys for plaintiff and respondent interviewed on KQED about trial challenging teacher job rights
By EdSource staff | http://bit.ly/MokvUq January 31st, 2014 :: EdSource Today editor John Fensterwald was featured on KQED’s Forum program Friday, answering questions about a closely watched trial under way in Los Angeles that challenges teacher job protections. Vergara v. California is seeking to overturn state laws governing teacher tenure, seniority and dismissal procedures. The
Southern California Students Battle It Out In Aca-Deca, Science Bowl Quizzes
By David Zahniser, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1eHMB3O Hoover High School in Glendale fielded a team of Meagan Yuen, from left, Jacob Deyell, Charis Ramirez, Daphne Bogosian and Kristina Laue in the regional Science Bowl at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge on Saturday. (Raul Roa / Glendale News Press / February 1, 2014) February 1, 2014, 11:56 a.m. :: Three
Firing Our Way to Finland: WEEK ONE OF VERGARA v. CALIFORNIA
from the LA Schools Report, written by Mark Harris | http://bit.ly/1bimLpp smf: Following is the first week of coverage of Vergara v. California from the LA School Report, which, it is safe to say, is editorially sympathetic to – if not subsidized by – the plaintiffs. The Plaintiffs present themselves David v. Goliath - representing students Beatriz Vergara, et al –