LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):
Galatzan calling for probe into computer system snafus
Galatzan calling for probe into computer system snafus Concerned by a slew of problems with the district’s new student management computer system, board member Tamar Galatzan said today she is planning to ask the district’s Inspector General to conduct an audit of the defective rollout. “I demand to know what happened and how this got so messed up,” she told LA School Report. “Because until it hap
Outside group challenging LAUSD’s view of ‘Parent Trigger’
Outside group challenging LAUSD’s view of ‘Parent Trigger’ Gloria Romero Parent Revolution, an organization that helps parents petition for change at poor-performing schools, is disputing an LA Unified legal opinion that says the state law that gives parents that right is invalid this year. The conflict came to light in an LA Times story this morning, citing an opinion from a district lawyer sent
Commentary: To those who live with Parkinson’s, you’re not alone
Commentary: To those who live with Parkinson’s, you’re not alone Bennett Kayser, representing district 5 on the LAUSD board of education By Bennett Kayser As we learned yesterday that Robin Williams had been in the early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, I felt the need to step forward and share my story, and perhaps let others know they are not alone, that there is hope and that life with the diseas
Morning Read: LAUSD puts new MiSiS computer system on hold
Morning Read: LAUSD puts new MiSiS computer system on hold LAUSD in crisis over its new MiSiS computer system Los Angeles Unified told teachers to stop using the new district-wide computer system Thursday, after days of dealing with glitches and other problems that have lost records and kept students from starting in the proper classes. Daily News To quell high school angst, some schools build a
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Another Johnson (Daymond) lining up for LAUSD District 1
Another Johnson (Daymond) lining up for LAUSD District 1 Days before Marguerite LaMotte died last December at the age of 80, Daymond Johnson, a school safety officer and consultant, filed papers with the City Ethics Commission to run for her LA Unified District 1 board seat when her term expired in 2015. Whether she intended to seek reelection or not, his rationale was to infuse the board with som
Kayser, FixLA campaign for funds for more crossing guards
Kayser, FixLA campaign for funds for more crossing guards Officials from FixLA and LA Unified at a press conference, calling for more school crossing guards. As the new school year gets underway, so does a campaign to increase student safety at LA Unified elementary schools. District officials, including board member Bennett Kayser, and members of the FixLA coalition gathered at City Hall this we
LAUSD opens arms to Central American immigrant children
LAUSD opens arms to Central American immigrant children Via Los Angeles Times | By Howard Blume At the low-slung bungalow west of downtown, a youngster screams from a vaccination and a nurse records the height and weight of an older boy. Academic counselors stand by, because it is here that many children who recently crossed the southern border enroll in the Los Angeles Unified School District. As
Morning Read: McKenna’s friends beat Johnson’s money
Morning Read: McKenna’s friends beat Johnson’s money Outspent by rival, McKenna drew on connections in school board victory In this week’s election for a seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education, one side had deep pockets and extensive political connections; the other side had people such as Orley Frost Jr. LA Times Judge: State must help all English learners A judge has ruled that the state is
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Johnson offers McKenna congratulations for his victory
Johnson offers McKenna congratulations for his victory The morning after his defeat to George McKenna by seven points in the race for a seat on the LA Unified School Board of Education, Alex Johnson congratulated his opponent and said, “I wish him well as he prepares to assume his new responsibilities.” He added, “I’m proud of my campaign for school board and equally proud of the broad and diverse
McKenna victory gives appearance of a pro-teacher union board
McKenna victory gives appearance of a pro-teacher union board George McKenna *UPDATED George McKenna’s victory over Alex Johnson last night would appear to return control of the seven member LA Unified school board to teachers union-backed members. McKenna’s win shifts the balance of the board to a majority owing their seats, in large part, to financial support by UTLA and its ability to mobilize
The big losers last night? Independent groups for Johnson
The big losers last night? Independent groups for Johnson Fun with numbers: By the LA City Clerk’s unofficial results from last night, George McKenna won with 14,940 votes to 13,153 for Alex Johnson. That translates to $6.79 the McKenna campaign spent for each vote, $101,479 overall, compared with $10.22 that the Johnson campaign paid for each vote, $134,470 overall. Among the independent groups w
Morning Read: Coalition opposes Brown’s rainy day measure
Morning Read: Coalition opposes Brown’s rainy day measure School leaders oppose Brown’s rainy day measure A coalition of some of the state’s most influential education groups is rallying opposition to a Constitutional amendment placed on the November ballot by the Legislature that would require the state to reconstruct a rainy day fund for use in lean budget years. S&I Cabinet Report Californ
School board election results: McKenna wins despite gains by Johnson
School board election results: McKenna wins despite gains by Johnson Amid a deep split in the black community in south Los Angeles, retired administrator George Mckenna won a seat on the LA Unified school board, fighting back substantial gains made by Alex Johnson a young education aide to County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, in a special election runoff yesterday. Marked by voter low-turnout, th
Breaking News: McKenna wins election to LAUSD board
Breaking News: McKenna wins election to LAUSD board George McKenna George McKenna, a lifelong educator as a teacher, principal, superintendent and administrator, won the runoff election tonight, defeating Alex Johnson to claim the District 1 seat on the LA Unified school board. As the leading vote-getter in the June primary, McKenna, 74, campaigned on his decades of service and with all 324 precin
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District 1 Election: McKenna moves to an early lead
District 1 Election: McKenna moves to an early lead In the first wave of results announced by the LA City Clerk, George McKenna has taken a narrow lead over Alex Johnson, with 8,712 votes to 8,586, for the open LA Unified District 1 board seat. The preliminary total reflects mailed-in ballots, which campaign experts view as a strong predictor of the final results when the margin is substantial. I
Teachers union says computer glitch cost students first day
Teachers union says computer glitch cost students first day Officials from LA Unified’s teachers union said today hundreds, perhaps thousands, of students missed the first day of school today due to flaws in the district’s new student data management system, which is designed to enroll and assign students. Colleen Schwab, a UTLA vice president, held up a picture of an empty classroom taken earlier
Crenshaw choir director released from ‘teacher jail’
Crenshaw choir director released from ‘teacher jail’ Eight months after being yanked off campus, long-time choir director Iris Stevenson returned to Crenshaw High School today. Stevenson, who’s led an award-winning music program at the school for nearly three decades, was pulled from teaching last December and reassigned to report to work at district offices — a sort of purgatory for educators und
Hey, LAUSD District 1 residents: get out today and vote!
Hey, LAUSD District 1 residents: get out today and vote! The vacuum is ending today, as polls remain open until 8 p.m. for District 1 voters to select a school board member. It’s been vacant since the death of Marguerite LaMotte in December, and now, either George McKenna or Alex Johnson is going to succeed her. McKenna won the June primary by 20 percentage points, with Johnson second in a seven-
A few new looks for LAUSD as another school year opens
A few new looks for LAUSD as another school year opens School starts again today. Another year of hoped for higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, higher academic achievement, lower temperatures between district and teacher union officials negotiating a new bargaining agreement. So what’s really new this year in LA Unified? 1. More digital devices are coming. They’re not going to be all iPa
Morning Read: Governor opposing $9 billion school bond
Morning Read: Governor opposing $9 billion school bond Brown administration opposes $9-billion schools bond Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration came out Monday against a $9-billion school-facilities bond proposed by California lawmakers for the November statewide ballot. LA Times Friday deadline for California school district spending plans As part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s new school funding scheme, d
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Deasy, LAUSD board members to welcome back students
Deasy, LAUSD board members to welcome back students As LA Unified students begin their first day of school tomorrow, district officials will be out in force, welcoming them. Superintendent John Deasy has a full schedule over two days, with plans to greet principals and to tour schools that are under construction. Planning to visit nearly a dozen campuses tomorrow and Wednesday, Deasy will start hi
McKenna, Johnson make their election cases on KNBC
McKenna, Johnson make their election cases on KNBC George McKenna and Alex Johnson appeared yesterday in the KNBC Sunday talk show, “News Conference,” and it was as close to a debate as the candidates for LA Unified’s District 1 board seat have had since the June 3 primary propelled them into tomorrow’s runoff. McKenna had the advantage in time, appearing for 8 minutes, 45 seconds, more than twic
McKenna or Johnson: It’s now in voter hands, but how many?
McKenna or Johnson: It’s now in voter hands, but how many? Alex Johnson (left), George McKenna (right) Tomorrow is election day. After eight months without a representative on the LA Unified school board, residents of District 1 will once more have equal representation with the other six members, maybe by the end of the week. The new member replaces the late Marguerite LaMotte and will join the bo
Morning Read: 5 ways McKenna and Johnson stand apart
Morning Read: 5 ways McKenna and Johnson stand apart 5 differences between Alex Johnson and George McKenna Little known fact: there’s an election tomorrow! A very special election! A special election, that is, for the District 1 L.A. Unified Board of Education seat, which pits political aide Alex Johnson against longtime administrator George McKenna. LA Weekly L.A. literacy program unites familie