LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):
Kashkari to Gov. Brown: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself’
Kashkari to Gov. Brown: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself’ Brown (left), Kashkari (right) Governor Jerry Brown and his Republican challenger, Neel Kashkari, spent a few testy minutes in their debate last night talking about public education. Their exchange largely focused on the recent decision by Brown, as a loser in Vergara vs. California, to appeal the ruling, which struck down laws protecting
Smith leaving United Way LA to join Education Trust-West
Smith leaving United Way LA to join Education Trust-West Ryan Smith Ryan Smith, whose work as Director of Education Programs and Policy for United Way of Greater Los Angeles helped improve the educational prospects for students of color and those living in poverty, is leaving his post to become executive director of Education Trust-West, an Oakland-based non-profit focused on many of the same obje
LAUSD board candidate repudiates statements of ex-aide
LAUSD board candidate repudiates statements of ex-aide Lydia Gutierrez, candidate for the LA Unified school board seat next year Lydia Gutierrez, a candidate for the LA Unified school board seat next year, says a former campaign manager misrepresented her positions in speaking to LA School Report earlier this week. Gutierrez disputed statements from Jose Gonzalez, who identified himself as one of
Morning Read: Lawmakers tightening accountability of LCFF
Morning Read: Lawmakers tightening accountability of LCFF Activists win further regulation of LCFF money School administrators are still balking at attempts by lawmakers and other student advocacy groups to further tighten accountability restrictions under the state’s new school funding system. S&I Cabinet Report Superintendent Deasy explains Pearson, Apple meeting More than a week after new
SEP 04
Teachers union submits initial contract demands to LA Unified
Teachers union submits initial contract demands to LA Unified After months of bargaining talks with LA Unified, the teachers union, UTLA, today submitted its first contract demand within the course of current negotiations. In a document submitted to the board this morning, the union called for discussions of various subjects, including salaries, teacher evaluations and discipline at its next barga
Tech startup innovates teacher evaluation system
Tech startup innovates teacher evaluation system Via NY Times | by Farhad Manjoo Halfway through the last school year, Leila Campbell, a young humanities teacher at a charter high school in Oakland, Calif., received the results from a recent survey of her students. On most measures, Ms. Campbell and her fellow teachers at the Aspire Lionel Wilson Preparatory Academy were scoring at or above the av
Morning Read: CA awarded common core test contract
Morning Read: CA awarded common core test contract State awards Common Core test contract With the State Board of Education’s approval, California became the ninth state Wednesday to award a contract to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium for the standardized tests in the Common Core State Standards that students will take next spring. EdSource Truancy package marks half-step in reforms It
SEP 03
Deasy on his critics: Constant attacks are ‘politically motived’
Deasy on his critics: Constant attacks are ‘politically motived’ Superintendent John Deasy Under withering criticism over the iPad program, a new student-tracking computer system and discordant relations with the teachers union, LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy said today that the attacks feel politically motivated at the expense of his agenda to improve the lives of district students. “I serv
UTLA holds morning rally to insist Deasy be thrown into ‘jail’
UTLA holds morning rally to insist Deasy be thrown into ‘jail’ Alex Caputo-Pearl speaking at a news conference 9-3-2014 UTLA is calling on Superintendent John Deasy to lock himself in teacher jail while he’s under any investigation over iPads, computer systems or anything else. At a rally earlier today union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told a crowd of teachers, “We are saying that he has to play b
After runnerup finish in state race, Gutierrez taking on Vladovic
After runnerup finish in state race, Gutierrez taking on Vladovic Lydia Gutierrez, former candidate for California Superintendent of Instruction The LA Unified school board president, Richard Vladovic, is no longer running uncontested for his seat next year. Lydia Gutierrez, who nearly advanced to the general election in the California Superintendent of Public Instruction race this year, has filed
Morning Read: Deasy defends actions with Apple and Pearson
Morning Read: Deasy defends actions with Apple and Pearson Supt. Deasy defends his dealings with Apple, Pearson Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy on Tuesday issued his most extensive and passionate defense yet of his actions involving Apple and Pearson, the companies that received the major contract in a $1.3-billion technology program. LA Times L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for rele
SEP 02
LAUSD aiming to resolve MiSiS issues as ‘Norm Day’ approaches
LAUSD aiming to resolve MiSiS issues as ‘Norm Day’ approaches While LA Unified says it’s making strides toward solving MiSiS problems, difficulties enrolling students persist and could severely impact school funding levels as a deadline approaches for allocating personnel resources. School administrators are required to report final enrollment numbers to the district by Sept. 12, a date officials
Brown’s Vergara appeal not so hard to understand
Brown’s Vergara appeal not so hard to understand Governor Jerry Brown While editorial boards at most of California’s major newspapers all reacted favorably to Judge Rolf Treu’s ruling in Vergara vs. California, and a USC poll showed that a strong majority of California voters oppose the state’s tenure and layoff policies for public school teachers that the court ruling struck down, Gov. Jerry Brow
Americans are becoming more satisfied with public education
Americans are becoming more satisfied with public education Via Gallup | by Rebecca Riffkin Gallup has asked U.S. adults about their satisfaction with education since 1999, including each August since 2001, as part of its annual Work and Education poll. The high of 53% satisfaction was reached in 2004, the only year more Americans were satisfied with education than dissatisfied. Americans were mos
Morning Read: CA student attendance above national average
Morning Read: CA student attendance above national average Analysis finds California students attend school more than U.S. peers California students attend school more consistently than most of their U.S. peers, and such attendance directly relates to better performance on national math and reading tests, a new analysis has found. LA Times Programs target crucial summer before college Lilie Hau,
SEP 01
Closed in observance of labor day
Closed in observance of labor day “It was working men and women who made the 20th Century the American century. It was the labor movement that helped secure so much of what we take for granted today. The 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave, health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans. The cornerstones of the middle-class security all bear the union label.” — Barack
AUG 29
Federal free lunches a lens into proverty that’s blurring
Federal free lunches a lens into proverty that’s blurring When it comes to free school meals, it’s increasingly clear that students aren’t always what they eat. The federal free- and reduced-price meals program, launched decades ago by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to combat child hunger through schools, has become a ubiquitous proxy for poverty in federal and state education and health progr
Vergara appeal (or not) divisive issue for Torkalson and Tuck
Vergara appeal (or not) divisive issue for Torkalson and Tuck Tom Torlakson (left), Marshall Tuck (right) The lower court’s final ruling in the Vergara case has pushed it into the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the latest proxy fight between supporters of reform and protectors of the status quo. Tom Torlakson, the incumbent, is urging the state to appeal. Marshall Tuck, the
Romero pressing for LAUSD hearing on ‘trigger’ waiver
Romero pressing for LAUSD hearing on ‘trigger’ waiver Gloria Romero, former CA State Senator Gloria Romero, the former state senator who authored the California Parent Trigger law is asking LA Unified board president Richard Vladovic to schedule a public discussion on the district’s legal opinion that the law does not apply this year. District lawyers say the Federal waiver granted LA Unified and
Morning Read: Aquino defends his role in LAUSD iPad contract
Morning Read: Aquino defends his role in LAUSD iPad contract Ex-LAUSD official denies steering contract to former employer The former Los Angeles schools official under scrutiny for his role in the district’s $1.3-billion iPad program defended himself Thursday, saying that he did not improperly steer the contract to a company that once employed him. LA Times LA schools iPads: Bid committee got fr