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Events: Discussion of Charter Schools
For those interested in a behind-the-scenes look into LA’s charter school movement, check out the TEACH (Transparency, Equity, Accountability for Charters) event this Thursday: “We are NOT trying to shut down charter schools,” said TEACH hosts, Robin Potash, Susan Philips, Sharon Stricker, Danny Feingold, Rabbi Jonathan Klein and former LAUSD School Board President Jackie Goldberg. “We...
By Brianna Sacks | July 9, 2013
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District Only Has Budget for 5,100 Summer Students
Many Los Angeles Unified students who need to make up a failed class, or just want to get ahead by taking summer school, are out of luck, according to a new report by the Daily News. For the second year in a row, the district is only able to scrape together $1 million for the...
By Brianna Sacks | July 9, 2013
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Mixed Reactions to Board-Passed Hiring Proposal
The Los Angeles Unified School Board recently passed a motion to return the district to the pre-recession school staffing ratios and class size ratios of 2007-2008. UTLA President Warren Fletcher praised the resolution, arguing that Board member Bennett Kayser’s proposal would remedy the “current degraded levels of funding, staffing and the ballooning class sizes.” However, some education experts and...
By Brianna Sacks | July 8, 2013
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Update: Seven States Have “Parent Trigger” Laws
While California was the first state in the nation to adopt the parent trigger law back in 2010, the state is no longer alone. Since then, an additional six states — Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas — have passed trigger legislation into law, according to a recent overview in Stateline. Parent trigger laws generally allow...
By Brianna Sacks | July 3, 2013
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Roundup: Mild Reactions to Vladovic Victory
Reactions from Los Angeles education groups and leaders to yesterday’s news that Board member Richard Vladovic will be LAUSD’s new School Board President were generally positive, albeit mild: In a press release, SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Courtni Pugh wrote that Vladovic “has demonstrated a true respect for the role that school nutrition, transportation, campus safety, and...
By Brianna Sacks | July 3, 2013
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Mapped: Suspension Rates Vary Widely Across LAUSD
Parents may be surprised to learn that LAUSD has a suspension rate of 2.7 percent — far below the state average of 5.7 percent, according to data from the California Department of Education. However, at some schools, suspension rates are as high as 20 and 30 percent. And the suspension rate is particularly low in the...
By Brianna Sacks | July 2, 2013
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Pictures: Deasy & Ratliff at Effective Teachers Event
Earlier this month, Educators 4 Excellence-Los Angeles (E4E) held an event at which the teacher advocacy group unveiled a set of recommendations its members had developed, which included ideas for retaining and rewarding effective teachers in LAUSD. Below, you can check out some snapshots provided by E4E from the event, which was attended by Board...
By Brianna Sacks | June 28, 2013
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Proposed Board Meeting Schedule, 2013-2014
Click below to view the proposed schedule of LAUSD Board meetings for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year which was put out earlier this week by LAUSD for an official vote at Tuesday’s Board meeting. According to the proposed schedule, the first meeting after the summer break is set for August 20. It is then scheduled, like...
By Brianna Sacks | June 27, 2013
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Zimmer to Celebrate Re-Election at Hollywood High*
After an against-all-odds re-election against challenger Kate Anderson in the District 4 primary earlier this year, School Board member Steve Zimmer is celebrating at Hollywood High School on Wednesday afternoon. “This was a very significant re-election because of the national involvement,” said a spokesperson from Zimmer’s office. “We want to celebrate the teachers, students, parents...
By Brianna Sacks | June 26, 2013
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Oakland Expands “Community Schools” Model*
Oakland Unified School District is giving the “smaller is better” approach to public education another go by breaking 12 overflowing schools into 48 smaller ones known as “community schools,” according to a new story from the The Center for Investigative Reporting. Community Schools offer a more holistic, individualized education by equipping schools with resource centers...
By Brianna Sacks | June 25, 2013