LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):
CA Academic Decathlon champ — and a WW I whiz, as well
The champs, including Melissa Cheng, second from left LA Unified’s El Camino Real Charter won the 35th Annual California Academic Decathlon last week, locking in its 11th state title and a chance to claim a seventh national title at the U.S. Academic Decathlon in Honolulu, April 24-26. Against a steep competition of 565 students from 65 high schools statewide, the nine-member team scored 57,747.3
Casillas replacing Jaime Aquino as interim Deputy of Instruction
John Deasy and Maria Casillas Former head of School, Parent and Family/Community Services, Maria Casillas, is coming out of retirement on Tuesday to serve as LA Unified’s interim Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, a post left vacant by the sudden resignation of Jaime Aquino last year. Casillas, who resigned from the district last June as Chief School and Family/Community Services, was appointed
After a run for UTLA chief, Mottus now trying for Congress
Kevin Mottus Fresh off a run for UTLA president, where he secured 53 votes to finish eighth among 10 candidates, Kevin Mottus is moving on: He’s now running for US Congress. Mottus is one of 21– count ‘em, 21! – lining up to take Henry Waxman’s seat in the 33rd Congressional District, which covers some of LA’s swankiest neighborhoods along the coast - from Malibu through the Palos Verdes Peninsul
Morning Read: Students try to preserve education grants
Ag students rally in Sacramento to preserve education grants Concerns about future funding for high school agricultural classes and leadership programs are being voiced throughout California—and nowhere louder than at the state Capitol, where thousands of students and members of Future Farmers of America rallied last week to try to prevent elimination of the state’s $4.1 million Agricultural Educa
Commentary: Standing with Beatriz against Vergara
Steve Zimmer Just over a year ago, I won re-election to the Los Angeles Unified School District board. It was an unlikely victory in what may have been the most expensive school board race in U. S. history. The wealthiest of self-styled reformers – Eli Broad, Reed Hastings, Michael Bloomberg and Michelle Rhee’s followers – put in over $4-million to try and take over the L.A. Board of Education. Th
MAR 27
Vergara trial ends, with CA teacher laws hanging in the balance
Plaintiffs’ lawyer Ted Boutrous Lawyers from both sides in Vergara v California — the state’s most significant teacher rights case in two decades — unleashed their final arguments today, in a last attempt to amplify their own case and destroy their opponent’s. The case is now in the hands of state Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu, who have the sides until April 10 to submit any final briefs, after w
Vergara case inside court, dueling press conferences outside
Elizabeth Vergara, at the press conference As lawyers in the Vergara v. California case made their closing arguments inside the court room for the benefit of an audience of one – Judge Rolf Treu – their dueling press conferences held outside were directed at a statewide audience, to be broadcast by a number of television cameras. The state defense team got their side of the story out first at an e
Laws must be struck down, plaintiffs say in their closing
Via The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — An attorney representing nine California public school students told a judge Thursday that laws making it too hard to fire bad teachers and retain good ones are preventing students from obtaining a decent education and must be struck down. Theodore Boutrous Jr. made his assertions in a closing argument in the trial of a lawsuit that seeks to make it easier fo
3 teachers get UTLA endorsements despite low money support
Last night’s vote By voting to endorse three candidates last night for the LA Unified’s District 1 board seat, the UTLA House of Representatives chose to back two teachers and a former teacher who have raised a combined $8,440 for their election efforts. While that honors Sherlett Hendy-Newbill, Rachel Johnson and the former instructor, Hattie McFrazier, their meager financial support so far, comp
Morning Read: New law could make preschool universal in CA
New legislation could bring universal preschool to California When over 200 parents showed up for a recent informational meeting at Lynwood Unified’s school district office, Kavin Dotson was amazed. The district wanted to explain the enrollment process to families of prospective transitional kindergarten students. Dotson only expected about 40 parents. KPCC California case challenges teacher job
MAR 26
Breaking News: UTLA endorses 3 for vacant Distict 1 race
Sherlett Hendy-Newbill The UTLA House of Representatives tonight voted to endorse a former teacher and two current teachers in the LA Unified District 1 board race. The vote mirrored the recommendation of the union’s Board of Directors, which voted last week for endorsing former district teacher Hattie McFrazier and the two current teachers, Sherlett Hendy-Newbill and Rachel Johnson. The administ
Added burden for LA charters: individual spending plans
As if this wasn’t a busy enough time of year for charter schools, they now have an added “to-do” on their list of state mandated documents to submit before the end of the year. Every charter school in the district — and that includes 52 affiliated and more than 200 independent schools — must craft an individual Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) to show how it will disperse funds from Govern
Analysis: Vergara approaching time for Treu judgement
Judge Rolf Treu Closing arguments are scheduled for tomorrow in Vergara v California. Lawyers for the nine public school children who are the plaintiffs will speak from 10 to noon, followed by their defense counterparts, from 1:30 to 3:30. The plaintiffs have the option to get in a last word after that, but, really, is there much new to say by now? The positions are clear. For two months, the oppo
Early response to Smarter Balanced field tests encouraging
As the Smarter Balanced field tests got underway yesterday in California and 21 other states, officials are receiving positive feedback from the schools that are participating. The testing starts in LA Unified next Tuesday. Jacqueline King, the director of Higher Education and Collaboration at the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, told LA School Report that they are using several methods to
Morning Read: UC finance chief heading group to help LA kids
UC financial chief leaving to head up educational foundation Peter Taylor, the UC system’s chief financial officer and executive vice president, said Tuesday that he is leaving the university to run a Los Angeles-based education foundation that will focus on helping low- income students succeed in K-12 schools and college. LA Times San Juan district selects Kern as superintendent Kent A. Kern, in
MAR 25
With Melendez gone, Garcetti not sure about replacing her
Thelma Melendez A week after his education liaison left to join LA Unified, Mayor Eric Garcetti is reconsidering whether he will even have an education deputy on his staff. Jeff Millman, spokesman for Garcetti, told LA School Report the mayor’s office “has not decided” if it will seek a replacement for Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, who left her post as director of education and workforce developme
CFT president calls for unity against the billionaires
Josh Pechthalt In a wide-ranging State of the Union address Saturday in Los Angeles, Josh Pechthalt, president of the California Federation of Teachers, reviewed the union’s latest successes and challenges, including the Vergara v. California lawsuit that’s heading toward conclusion later this week. Among his over-arching themes was the familiar call for union members to stand together against “th
Alex Johnson opens wide lead in fundraising for District 1 seat
Alex Johnson The money chase is on. Through the first reporting period for LA Unified’s open District 1 board seat, Alex Johnson has opened a wide margin over the other six candidates in the race. Johnson, an education aide to LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas who has backing from his boss, as well as former congresswoman Diane Watson and retired LA County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke,
Commentary: Listen adults, it’s time for a student on the board
Do you know how many students attended the LAUSD school board meetings last month? In my circle of friends, you’d be lucky if a single person could name a school board member or tell you what the school board does. As an active LAUSD student who cares about my community, I wonder how the second-largest district in the nation can make decisions about the futures of thousands of students without hea
Morning Read: Hudley-Hayes’ credentials older than memory
LA school board candidate responds to questions about credentials L.A. Unified school board candidate Genethia Hudley-Hayes is fighting allegations she falsified her academic credentials. She is one of seven candidates vying for the seat of former board member Marguerite LaMotte, who died in December. KPCC California schools are rolling out new standardized tests Schools across California are se
MAR 24
Vergara trial ends with a flurry of objections; closings Thursday
Eric Hanushek “Evidence is closed,” Judge Rolf Treu pronounced from his seat in Superior Court today, thus drawing the curtain on two months of testimony in Vergara v. California. Since Jan. 27, lawyers representing nine students-as-plaintiffs and their adversaries — the state and its two powerful teachers unions — the California Federation of Teachers and the California Teachers Association — hav
Smarter Balanced Field Tests around CA starting tomorrow
As California gets ready to transition to a new assessment system, the state is set to rollout its Smarter Balanced Field Test starting tomorrow. As part of the field test, the state will be examining technological capacity and the quality of test questions, while helping students and teachers prepare for next year’s first operational test, said Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instru
SEIU Local 99 starting process to endorse District 1 candidate
SEIU workers on the job SEIU Local 99, one of the most powerful and influential unions in the LA Unified School District, is holding an exclusive forum next week for union members to meet the candidates running for the open District 1 board seat. With more than 30,000 cafeteria workers, special education assistants, custodians, bus drivers and others, the union is offering its members an opportuni
One district’s spending priority under local control: social workers
Via EdSource | By John Fensterwald One of the first school districts to finish a draft of the spending and accountability plan required by the state’s new school funding law is proposing to hire social workers to deal with the effects of troubled home lives, cyberbullying and other social and emotional issues hobbling students’ ability to concentrate and learn. The 24,000-student East Side Union H
Morning Read: Common Core computer tests begin this week
Ready, set … California schools finally start new computer test this week The new Common Core tests are one of the biggest transitions in state public education in recent memory. California schools have spent nearly two years preparing for this moment: buying computers, upgrading internet access and in some cases hiring extra IT workers. But parents shouldn’t worry too much. Results this year don’