Candidate forum update: Well, there aren’t any. Aside from two debates in the Valley with District 3 candidates Tamar Galatzan, the incumbent, and challenger Scott Schmerelson, voters have no additional opportunities to hear from those seeking the next term on the LA Unified school board. Five charter school groups offered to sponsor debates in District...

One of the most depressing outcomes of the Los Angeles primary elections in March was that only roughly 10 percent of registered voters participated. But a group of LA Unified students connected with the United Way Student Leadership Program took the news to heart and decided to do something about it. Over the course of two...

* UPDATED Two weeks from the May 19 runoff elections, outside money continues to pour in for two incumbents on the LA Unified board — Tamar Galatzan in District 3 and President Richard Vladovic in District 7. A third incumbent — Bennett Kayser in District 5 — still trails far behind his challenger, Ref Rodriguez....

They’re off… and spending. Over the last 10 days the California Charter School Association political action committee has resumed pumping in money to help Ref Rodriguez win the District 5 seat on the LA Unified school board in the May 19 runoff. The group has spent $18,347 on two flier mailings and one phone banking session....

The LA teachers union, UTLA, has decided to endorse LA Unified school board President Richard Vladovic in his reelection bid for the District 7 board seat. While it’s his third run for the seat, it’s the first time the teachers are throwing support his way, making him that rare candidate who has won the endorsements...

*UPDATED Scott Schmerelson says he is “feeling pretty good” these days, and the longtime LA Unified educator, counselor and principal certainly has lots of reasons for it. Schmerelson emerged from a logjam of five challengers to finish second in the March 3 school board primary election, good enough to make the May 19 runoff against District...

The Los Angeles teachers union, UTLA, has moved one step closer to endorsing Scott Schmerelson, a former LA Unified principal, administrator and a Republican, in the runoff race for Board District 3. Members of the teachers union political action committee, PACE, are recommending to the full committee an endorsement for Schmerelson in his bid to...

Now that the primaries are over, it’s time to ponder a few issues they raise. And perhaps nothing is more ponderous than turnout. Los Angeles is growing notorious for the pathetic number of voters who show up at polling places. But if you thought Tuesday’s less-than-10 percent turnout was bad, just wait until the May...

Voters overwhelmingly voiced support yesterday to moving the LA Unified school board elections to November, which some say will increase voter turnout while others argue that it will give greater advantage to special interest groups and well-financed candidates. With a low voter turnout and some candidates raising large sums of money, yesterday’s primary elections for LA...

Charter school supporters battling for a stronger influence over the LA Unified school board have the checkbook ready again. After providing heavy financial support for newcomer Ref Rodriguez, winner over District 5 incumbent Bennett Kayser last night, the charter group is weighing how much to spend for Rodriguez in the weeks leading to the May 19...