With new superintendent in place, L.A. school board gears for battle on charter plan
A Day after unanimously selecting a new leader, the Los Angeles Board of Education once again found common ground by offering its first public opposition to a controversial $490-million proposal to increase the number of charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Board members have traditionally been divided on charter school growth, but on Tuesday they voted 7 to 0 in support of a resolution opposing initiatives that "view our communities as a public education marketplace and our children as commodities."
The board then directed new Supt. Michelle King to analyze how the outside plan, which was developed by the Broad Foundation, will "affect the district's enrollment, fiscal viability and ability to provide an outstanding public education."
A draft of the plan proposes 260 new charters in L.A. The schools, combined with existing charters, would enroll half of the district's 650,000 students.
Supporters of the proposal say they seek to improve options for parents unsatisfied with traditional public schools. But L.A. Unified leaders say the plan threatens the sustainability of the district and could hurt its ability to serve students.
"I think it is important to point out that this plan was not created to strengthen L.A. Unified and we want that to be on the record," board member Monica Ratliff said. "In the long run, we have to get something on the table about the impact that it has on the district and the impact that it has on our ability to meet our promises to our employees."
Charter schools are publicly funded, independently operated and not tethered to some of the regulations that apply to traditional schools. Most charter schools are nonunion.
The board's resolution is effectively a symbolic gesture, but it highlights a key challenge for the district's new superintendent.
Declining enrollment and the cost of providing employee benefits are among the drivers of a projected long-term deficit at the district. Because districts are funded based on student enrollment, L.A. Unified stands to lose millions of dollars if the charter plan is successful.
After being named superintendent on Monday, King said she was neither for nor against the charter expansion proposal: "I am about L.A. Unified's plan."
King, who signed a $350,000 annual contract Tuesday, also said little about the expansion plan, simply asking board members for precise guidance on their directive.
"When you're clear and you define what specifically we are looking at, then staff can go in and analyze that and look for the fiscal concerns, the enrollment impact and all the other With new superintendent in place, L.A. school board gears for battle on charter plan - LA Times: