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Saturday, March 17, 2012

Labor's Edge Blog : Test Mania: A School is Not a Spreadsheet

Labor's Edge Blog : Test Mania: A School is Not a Spreadsheet:

Labor's Edge: Views from the California Labor Movement

Test Mania: A School is Not a Spreadsheet

LAUSD has issued more than 9,500 RIF notices to UTLA bargaining unit members, denying educational opportunities to our communities, and shuttering Arts Programs, Adult Education, and Early Childhood Education.
The LAUSD school board majority says they they don't have a choice, even though they're spending $2 million to $4 million (the equivalent of 25 to 50 employees) on citywide implementation of the Early Start Calendar; they're keeping $200 million locked away in a drawer, accounting for it as money they'll spend later; and over the next four years the District intends to increase the number of administrators by 27% (according to the four-year budget LAUSD submitted to the county).
There's at least one other area they've prioritized over saving jobs and programs:  high-priced periodic assessments, created by outside companies.
The LAUSD budget receives little attention, in part because the public is given a