-
Antonucci: California Teachers Association’s strategic plan — how’s it doing?
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Back in 2014, the California Teachers Association generated a long-term strategic plan. Titled “Our Union, Our Future,” it described eight broad goals, including community engagement and coalition building, organizing unrepresented education workers and “transforming our profession.” In April, CTA assembled a working group of union officers, representatives...
By Mike Antonucci | June 4, 2019
-
A student’s plea: California lawmakers need to listen to kids like me. Traditional schools give up on us. Charter schools don’t.
California lawmakers have spent the past several weeks debating laws that would seriously hurt charter schools. While two of the bills have been shelved, others are moving forward that would be disastrous for students like me. What makes this situation especially disturbing is that voices like mine have not been heard. I’m a public high...
By Roberto Delgado | June 3, 2019
-
Commentary: L.A. voters should approve the parcel tax to support Beutner’s clear-headed leadership and give LAUSD students — finally — the school system they deserve
To paraphrase the great philosopher Yogi Berra, education is 50 percent about teaching and learning and 90 percent about money and politics. On June 4, the voters of Los Angeles have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change that and put the focus squarely where it belongs – on LA’s children. Over three years ago, we participated...
By Pete Taylor and Miguel A. Santana | May 31, 2019
-
Antonucci: Want to know where your education dollars go? Take a look at labor costs — it’s nearly all salary and benefits
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Any debate about public education finances invariably devolves to whether we are spending enough “in the classroom” and how much “administrative bloat” there is. Textbooks, maintenance, facilities, curriculum and student programs all come under scrutiny, either to find savings or to fight for additional funding....
By Mike Antonucci | May 29, 2019
-
Commentary: To empower a child for success in school and in life, start with an eye exam and a pair of glasses
Uncorrected vision conditions are among the biggest public health problems in the United States, affecting 1 in every 4 children, according to the American Optometric Association. Only 39 percent of students referred for an eye exam through a routine vision screening visit an eye doctor, and the gap is even larger in high-poverty communities. A California study by...
By Meghan Lynch and Ann Hollister | May 28, 2019
-
Commentary: Foster youth and homeless students need stable schools — and L.A. County has a plan to provide them
Here in L.A. County, we have students facing incredible challenges: • 38% of all children in foster care in California reside in Los Angeles County. • Only 58% of young people in foster care graduate from high school. • Nearly 10% of the homeless population in Los Angeles County is under 18. To help these students achieve and succeed, we need...
By Dr. Debra Duardo | May 24, 2019
-
Antonucci: As L.A. voters weigh a parcel tax, here’s a stroll through 31 years of California school funding claims
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. In two weeks, a small percentage of those who live within the boundaries of the Los Angeles Unified School District will go to the polls to vote on Measure EE, a parcel tax designed to raise an estimated $500 million annually for the city’s schools. How will...
By Mike Antonucci | May 22, 2019
-
Commentary: LAUSD is asking for a $500 million parcel tax. In return, let the schools decide how to spend their new funds
Many of the country’s largest school districts decentralize funding to schools (yes, schools) and let the schools — not the district — design budgets that work best for their particular mix of students. Not the Los Angeles Unified School District. LAUSD is the country’s second-largest district, yet its financials remain stubbornly centralized and widely criticized....
By Marguerite Roza and Anthony Drew | May 20, 2019
-
California school board members to state lawmakers: Don’t make it harder to attract and recruit diverse, talented teachers
An open letter to state Assembly members, from California school board members Lorena Chavez (East Side Union High School District), Mónica García (Los Angeles Unified School District), Jumoke Hinton Hodge (Oakland Unified School District), Tom Panas (West Contra Costa Unified School District) and Cipriano Vargas (Vista Unified School District): Education is the cornerstone of our...
By Lorena Chavez, Mónica García, Jumoke Hinton Hodge, Tom Panas and Cipriano Vargas | May 15, 2019
-
Antonucci: National Education Association may lose thousands of Las Vegas members if city’s bus drivers, food service workers & custodians shift to Teamsters
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Most of the education support employees working for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas may soon find themselves switching state and national unions. A loss for the National Education Association will turn into a gain for the Teamsters. The Education Support Employees Association is affiliated...
By Mike Antonucci | May 15, 2019