Yesterday we explained the unfortunate rift between ideological allies Jerry Brown and Molly Munger over Propositions 30 and 38, ballot initiatives that would increase education funding (Competing Ballot Initiatives Split Ideological Allies). Today’s news is that the conflict continues to heat up — and may only get worse between now and Election Day. Late yesterday afternoon,...

When the Board meeting agenda came out last week, it initially included Board member Zimmer’s resolution regarding use of student achievement data to evaluate teachers (see PDF here).The Zimmer resolution sought to block LAUSD from using a new student achievement measurement called Academic Growth Over Time (AGT) when evaluating teachers – even in combination with other...

Here’s an interesting chart from the November issue of Chicago Magazine which seems to show that LAUSD schools run longer than other big cities like DC or NYC (and that the poverty rate for LAUSD kids is second only to Chicago). However, the average teacher salary is lower than all but Miami-Dade. And the graduation...

There are some fun parts to this novelty video put together by some filmmaker parents at LAUSD’s Aldama Elementary, including the chorus (“Our budget’s been cut, school’s hitting the skids, We’re coming for you, and we’re bringing our kids.”) Obviously, these parents want voters to support increased funding for schools proposed in some of next month’s...

Reviews of the new release “Won’t Back Down” vary widely and tend to conform with pre-existing views on education reform issues. Critics like The Nation’s Dana Goldstein describe it as a mean-spirited caricature of classroom teachers funded by a conservative millionaire who wants to destroy public schools — a 2012 version of  “Waiting For Superman.”...

A neighborhood blog you may not have heard of called The Eastsider has a good (if partial) list of public, charter, and private school websites, as well as other useful parent groups and addresses for a variety of Eastside neighborhoods (School Yard Links).  There’s also an interesting entry from a parent who’s concerned about LAUSD...

This week’s piece by Emily Bazelon in Slate about school district-charter school cooperation in New Haven sounds pretty cool as these things go — a teacher exchange between the district and a charter network that seems to be a win-win for both parties. I’m told that something similar is going on in Denver, with three charter networks helping...

Yesterday on MSNBC, Mayor Villaraigosa and former Education Secretary Spellings talked unions, charter schools, and education spending with NBC’s Chuck Todd: The Mayor was also on a panel about local control, which you can see here.

Thanks to a kind reader for sending along this PBS NewsHour segment in which former LAUSD superintendent Roy Romer debates American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten:  It’s a couple of weeks old but still might be worth the watch, given the ongoing debate over including student achievement in teacher evaluations and whether unions can...

Who: A self-appointed caucus of progressive teachers within the 38,000- member United Teachers Los Angeles union. What: Currently holds more than 25 percent of the 350 seats in the UTLA House of Representatives, and helped elect a reform-friendly UTLA president last year. Has inspired similar factions in other districts.. via Atlantic Magazine: The Education Upstarts. Other...