LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):
LAUSD holding a conference to help black, Latino boys
LAUSD holding a conference to help black, Latino boys LA Unified is joining President Obama’s initiative to help improve educational outcomes for African American and Latino boys. At Loyola Marymount University on Monday, the district will conduct a day-long conference and series of workshops for teachers aimed at providing instructional training and strategies that focus on meeting the needs of b
Editor’s Note: Clarifying CA charter school growth
Editor’s Note: Clarifying CA charter school growth A story this week provided an incomplete explanation for charter school growth in LA Unified and California, omitting reasons other than the distribution of federal dollars to account for their rapid increase. In a statement to LA School Report, As the California Charter Schools Association said another driving force is a desire by families for wi
After 700 new teachers hired, LA Unified still looking for more
After 700 new teachers hired, LA Unified still looking for more Eleven days before the start of the new school year, LA Unified is still hiring teachers. By the district’s accounting, about 700 have been brought aboard for the school year starting Aug. 12, and district officials are looking to add up to 100 more. That would give the district about a third more new instructors than they had at the
Morning Read: Brown administration seeks to dethrone API
Morning Read: Brown administration seeks to dethrone API Brown administration looks to diminish influence of API Move over API. You’re not the top dog for determining school success anymore, the president of the state’s Board of Education said this week. S&I Cabinet Report Half of the nation’s children have suffered trauma, report says A report out this week finds that just under half of the
JUL 31
Common Core may be set to survive even in opponent states
Common Core may be set to survive even in opponent states Via Edweek | by Andrew Ujifusa Opponents of the Common Core State Standards got a boost in recent weeks, as Missouri and North Carolina moved to reassess their involvement, while the governors of Utah and Wisconsin distanced themselves from the standards. Less clear is what exactly those opponents have won. The early pattern suggests that t
Magnolia schools’ opening ends a close business relationship
Magnolia schools’ opening ends a close business relationship As one of the conditions for allowing Magnolia Science Academy 6 in Palms and Magnolia Science Academy 7 in Van Nuys to remain open, Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin ruled last week that the parent company, Magnolia Public Schools (MPS), could no longer do business with Accord Institute for Education Research. That effectively ended a
Galatzan endorses Johnson, leaving Vladovic as lone neutral
Galatzan endorses Johnson, leaving Vladovic as lone neutral Tamar Galatzan LAUSD School Board Member For those keeping score, it’s now 3-2. A second member of the LA Unified school board, Tamar Galatzan, is endorsing Alex Johnson for the open District 1 seat. She joins Monica Garcia as the board backers for Johnson. Three others — Monica Ratliff, Steve Zimmer and Bennett Kayser — have endorsed Geo
Morning Read: CA English learners trial commences today
Morning Read: CA English learners trial commences today California in lawsuit alleging neglect of English learners A lawsuit alleging that California public education officials have failed to provide language instruction to tens of thousands of English-language learners across the state goes to trial today (July 31) in Los Angeles Superior Court. EdWeek LAUSD’s portable pools make the rounds for
JUL 30
LA Unified reaches agreement with principals, police, teamsters
LA Unified reaches agreement with principals, police, teamsters At least the principals won’t be going on strike. The Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) overwhelming ratified new labor contracts with LA Unified for two groups of employees, ensuring that school leaders will remain on campus even as district teachers continue negotiations and threaten to walk off the job. “It’s as decis
Attack mailers for Johnson draw ire of two important backers
Attack mailers for Johnson draw ire of two important backers Recent campaign material supporting Alex Johnson that questions the record of his opponent in the LA Unified District 1 school board race, George McKenna, are rattling two of Johnson’s high profile supporters, U.S. Congresswoman Janice Hahn and former Congresswoman Diane Watson. “I do not support the negativity that has come out,” Watson
In a survey, superintendents say teachers support suspensions
In a survey, superintendents say teachers support suspensions Via EdSource | by Jane Meredith Adams Superintendents say teachers are the group most likely to object to policies that would reduce student suspensions, according to a new national survey on school discipline released Monday by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and the nonprofit advocacy group the Children’s Defense Fund. A
Morning Read: LCAP reporting mandate reignites dispute
Morning Read: LCAP reporting mandate reignites dispute New dispute opens over LCAP reporting mandate A festering dispute over how much freedom local officials should have over education spending has reignited, pitting school managers against advocates for low-income families and some key members of the Legislature. S&I Cabinet Report Bilingual education could make a comeback After nearly two
JUL 29
Teachers union leaders updating members on strike potential
Teachers union leaders updating members on strike potential UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl speaking to union members No matter the state of contract negotiations between LA Unified and the teachers union, UTLA, instructors are becoming more familiar with the possibility of a strike. Alex Caputo-Pearl, the union president, said in an interview today union officials are busy organizing parents, se
Lawsuit filed in New York takes after Vergara ruling
Lawsuit filed in New York takes after Vergara ruling Via Edweek | by Stephen Sawchuck A second lawsuit challenging New York laws governing teacher tenure, layoffs, and dismissals has been filed on behalf of seven schoolchildren in the state. The suit, modeled on the successful Vergara v. California lawsuit in California, argues that those protections are depriving pupils of their constitutional ri
Zimmer, Kayser back McKenna; Villaraigosa in for Johnson
Zimmer, Kayser back McKenna; Villaraigosa in for Johnson Steve Zimmer, with George McKenna to his right. Endorsements in the District 1 school board race continued to pile up today as two LA Unified board members jumped on the George McKenna bandwagon, and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa weighed in for Alex Johnson. Steve Zimmer and Bennett Kayser appeared at a news conference outside City Hall
Morning Read: LAUSD, teachers at odds over contract talks
Morning Read: LAUSD, teachers at odds over contract talks Teachers union, LAUSD at odds over bargaining tactics With just two weeks before school starts, union leaders representing 35,000 teachers have declined Los Angeles Unified’s offer to conduct contract talks on a daily basis. The two sides are divided by about $280 million per year in pay increases and other issues. LA Daily News Report say
JUL 28
Foster youth gain support from UCLA summer program
Foster youth gain support from UCLA summer program Instability — multiple homes and multiple schools — is one of the biggest obstacles to academic success for foster children. But about two dozen high school students in foster care in Southern California are benefiting from one constant in their lives: a program each summer at UCLA aimed at keeping them on track academically and preparing them for
LAUSD charter school growth faster pace than in state, nation
LAUSD charter school growth faster pace than in state, nation Click table to view larger image At the start of the new school year in two weeks, LA Unified will have almost 200 more charter schools than it did a decade ago. The growth reflects a more swift expansion than national and statewide trends in school choice options. Since 2004, charter schools in LA Unified have increased nearly four t
Johnson holding money lead over McKenna; Vladovic has donors
Johnson holding money lead over McKenna; Vladovic has donors Notes along the campaign trail: In the money race for the open District 1 board seat, Alex Johnson continues to hold an overall lead over George McKenna, according to the City’s Ethics Commission Through last week, Johnson had raised $47,646 to $6,450 for McKenna, an 8-to-1 ratio that hasn’t budged in weeks. In PAC money spent on the cam
Morning Read: Lawsuit looms over California PE classes
Morning Read: Lawsuit looms over California PE classes California schools face lawsuit over physical education classes Thousands of elementary school teachers have been asked this summer to hold on to their lesson plans as 37 school districts throughout the state seek to show that they are providing students with required exercise. LA Times The LAUSD board election matters; voters should turn out
