LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):
PAC spending for Johnson gives him $200,000 advantage
PAC spending for Johnson gives him $200,000 advantage As the week comes to a close, Alex Johnson has expanded his overall lead in financial support over George McKenna in their quest to win election as the new District 1 board member in LA Unified, according to the latest figures from the City Ethics Commission. At mid-day, he held the same ratio of support, about 8-to-1, in individual contributio
Magnolia charter troubles having an impact beyond LA Unified
Magnolia charter troubles having an impact beyond LA Unified New troubles for the non-profit charter school network, Magnolia Public Schools (MPS), are beginning to raise concerns beyond LA Unified, where the sudden closure of two schools for fiscal mismanagement expanded yesterday into what could be a larger investigation. In a letter outlining a recent fiscal audit that led to the closure of the
Morning Read: Vergara splits Tuck and Torlakson campaigns
Morning Read: Vergara splits Tuck and Torlakson campaigns Vergara ruling becomes campaign issue State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Marshall Tuck this week launched a petition calling on his opponent, incumbent Superintendent Tom Torlakson, not to appeal a lawsuit ruling that struck down statutes giving California teachers firing protections and rights to tenure and seniority. EdS
JUL 17
JUST IN: LAUSD expanding probe into Magnolia charter schools
JUST IN: LAUSD expanding probe into Magnolia charter schools Magnolia Science Academy 7 LAUSD’s audit of two Magnolia Science Academy charter schools leading to their possible closure has triggered investigations into the financial health of six other schools run by the same non-profit group. “We are looking at the other Magnolia charter schools through the Office of the Inspector General,” Superi
Garcia 2nd board member to endorse — Johnson is her guy
Garcia 2nd board member to endorse — Johnson is her guy Monica Garcia, who represents LA Unified’s District 2, has become the second district board member to endorse one of the candidates running for the District 1 seat, last held by the late Marguerite LaMotte. Garcia is the “special guest” at fundraiser tonight in Hancock Park for Alex Johnson, the Mark Ridley-Thomas aide who is opposing George
When educational options help to reverse locational detriments
When educational options help to reverse locational detriments Via OC Register | by Jalen Rose Many young people in America today face a harsh reality. Their fate in life is determined by their ZIP code. For an overwhelming number of African Americans and other minorities, having the wrong ZIP code keeps you from a high school diploma, a college degree, and a future that offers you opportunities
Koch nonprofit providing ‘liberty-based’ course for HS students
Koch nonprofit providing ‘liberty-based’ course for HS students Via Huffington Post | by Christina Wilkie In the spring of 2012, Spenser Johnson, a junior at Highland Park High School in Topeka, Kansas, was unpacking his acoustic bass before orchestra practice when a sign caught his eye. “Do you want to make money?” it asked. The poster encouraged the predominantly poor students at Highland Park t
Morning read: National poll shows public suport for preschool
Morning read: National poll shows public suport for preschool Poll shows support for public preschool funding In a new national poll conducted by a bipartisan research team, respondents voiced their strong support for expanding public preschool, echoing other recent surveys on the issue. EdSource Beverly Hills High School principal files lawsuit against district The principal of Beverly Hills Hig
JUL 16
McKenna is the union candidate, but CTA gave to Johnson backers
McKenna is the union candidate, but CTA gave to Johnson backers California’s biggest teacher union contributed $20,000 to an organization that is a major supporter of the LA Unified school board District 1 candidate that UTLA is trying to defeat. According to the California Secretary of State, which tracks political contributions, the California Teachers Association (CTA) gave the money to the Afr
With budget boost, LAUSD police gearing up for new year
With budget boost, LAUSD police gearing up for new year A budget increase of $4 million is enabling the LASPD, the police force that serves LA Unified, to build on the safety practices the department began implementing last year. The additional funding came as a result of a growing number of school shootings across the country, including the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn
Morning Read: California schools mislabeling English learners
Morning Read: California schools mislabeling English learners California ‘English learner’ tests incorrectly label bilingual kids Arianna Anderson is one of 180,000 students enrolled in the Los Angeles Unified School District’s program for English learners. Over 90 percent of students in the program speak Spanish. Most everyone else speaks Armenian, Korean or Filipino. And Arianna? “I’m not an Eng
JUL 15
Ratliff forgoes neutrality, endorsing McKenna in board race
Ratliff forgoes neutrality, endorsing McKenna in board race Board member Monica Ratliff Monica Ratliff, who was elected to the LA Unified school board last year, became the first member of the board to take sides in the District 1 school board race, endorsing George McKenna over Alex Johnson. No other board member has expressed public support for either of the contenders in the Aug. 12 runoff. “It
Hollywood leaders join program to mentor LAUSD students
Hollywood leaders join program to mentor LAUSD students Frances Fisher, film actress and mentor in new program For those living in Los Angeles it’s not uncommon to brush up against some aspects of the entertainment industry. Now LAUSD students have the chance to meet and get life advice from Hollywood leaders. The district is partnering with The Creative Coalition, a non-profit arts advocacy grou
Johnson outpacing McKenna in school board race for money
Johnson outpacing McKenna in school board race for money Alex Johnson (left), George McKenna (right) Alex Johnson has opened a substantial lead over George McKenna in campaign support from individual donors and groups that support his candidacy even as major backers from the education reform camp and labor unions who have given millions in previous years appear to be sitting this election out. Th
LA Federation of Labor endorsing Johnson for LAUSD board seat
Alex Johnson, candidate for district 1 school board seat In the race for labor group support, Alex Johnson, has picked up a major endorsement in his bid for the open LA Unified school board seat. Johnson’s campaign announced today that the Committee on Political Education (COPE) of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has voted to endorse him for the District 1 seat in the Aug. 12 runoff ele
Morning Read: Pension fund for CA teachers looking up
CalSTRS reports a big year of earnings Riding the wave of record high stock prices on Wall Street, the fund providing pension benefits for California teachers and school administrators reported Monday that it earned a return of 18.66 percent on its assets for the year that ended June 30. EdSource Before buying technology, asking ‘why?’ District leaders and other advocates of personalized learning
JUL 14
McKenna, Johnson re-launch campaigns for school board seat
Click to view slideshow. With less than a month before the runoff election for LAUSD’s district 1 board seat, the race between candidates George McKenna and Alex Johnson is heating up as both both candidates are re-launching their campaigns. Over the weekend, McKenna, 74, a career school administrator, and Johnson, 33, an education aide to LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, held separate ral
Vote-by-Mail request for District 1 school board starts today
Starting today, residents of LA Unfied’s District 1, which covers much of south LA, stretching north to Hollywood, can apply for a Vote by Mail ballot for the Aug. 12 special election runoff for LA Unified’s open school board seat. (For an application, click here). The election, between George McKenna, a retired school administrator and Alex Johnson, education aide to County Supervisor Mark Ridley
Morning Read: Duncan must improve or resign, says AFT
Another teachers union ding for Arne Duncan The American Federation of Teachers approved a resolution this afternoon calling for Education Secretary Arne Duncan to resign if he does not improve under a plan to be implemented by President Barack Obama. Politico L.A. teachers union leader Caputo-Pearl links activism to strike The new leader of the Los Angeles teachers union signaled a more militant