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Commentary: What pro-equity advocates in California can learn from their wins in LAUSD
(Note: This article first appeared on La Comadre and Education Post) By Chris Bertelli When the ballots were finally tallied in the early morning hours on Wednesday, those of us who work for educational equity in California’s public schools had reason to celebrate. After an expensive, hard-fought campaign, two political newcomers – Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez – were...
By Guest contributor | May 22, 2017
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Commentary: Why we must vote in Tuesday’s LAUSD school board election
By Evelyn Aleman Macias As a Los Angeles Unified School District parent, school volunteer, and a member of the district’s Parent Advisory Council for the Local Control Funding Formula, I’m often dismayed by the ongoing rift between charter and non-charter school advocates. The issue seems to become even more of a focal point during elections,...
By Guest contributor | May 11, 2017
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Commentary: Let’s reinstate LAUSD’s charter school leave
By Karin Kroener-Valdivia It’s National Charter Schools Week, and I’m remembering my first experience at a charter school. Fifteen years ago, after my fourth year of teaching in LA, I was burned out, exhausted from having my track constantly change and from moving rooms during the day without a classroom of my own. I came...
By Guest contributor | May 4, 2017
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Commentary: East LA parents want quality public schools, regardless of school type
By Martin Capuchino This week is National Charter Schools Week, and though many of Los Angeles’ public charter schools serve children of color, the inaccurate dissemination of information regarding charter schools and traditional schools creates confusion in many communities — especially communities of color. During the summer of 2016, a group of students and I...
By Guest contributor | May 3, 2017
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Commentary: Vote for candidates who are committed to children
This is part of a series of essays by Los Angeles leaders and stakeholders on the importance of a high-quality education for all LA students and the May 16 school board election. By Randy Bishop I’ve always viewed education as a big equalizer. My great-grandparents immigrated to this country with nothing. Their children, my grandparents,...
By Guest contributor | May 1, 2017
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Commentary: Education is the driver of positive change
This is part of a series of essays by Los Angeles leaders and stakeholders on the importance of a high-quality education for all LA students and the May 16 school board election. By Josh Berman Education represents the cornerstone to every individual’s future successes. It provides its pupils with their initial foray into the real...
By Guest contributor | April 28, 2017
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Marshall Tuck: Support nonprofit charter schools, ban for-profit charters
By Marshall Tuck This year, we have a chance to help students and protect taxpayers across California, and I hope we don’t miss it. The California State Legislature is currently considering whether to ban for-profit charter schools. Educators — whether at district or charter public schools — can agree: public schools must serve students, not shareholders....
By Guest contributor | April 27, 2017
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Commentary: Public education’s death spiral, and why everyone needs to vote on May 16
This is part of a series of essays by Los Angeles leaders and stakeholders on the importance of a high-quality education for all LA students and the May 16 school board election. By Loren Bendele In the 1970s Los Angeles had many of the best public schools in the world. Today, Los Angeles has some of...
By Guest contributor | April 26, 2017
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Commentary: The California Teachers Association has a whole lot of money to burn: Here’s how it spends it
By Mike Antonucci The California Teachers Association is not only on the opposite coast from the New York State United Teachers, it is on the opposite side of the financial ledger. While NYSUT battles budget deficits and cumbersome staff pension debt, CTA has loads of cash, consistent budget surpluses, net assets of more than $300 million,...
By Guest contributor | April 19, 2017
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Commentary: Why California’s bid to kill income tax for teachers is a terrible idea
By Andrew Rotherham and Kaitlin Pennington It’s an education policy only TurboTax could love. Trying to find and keep teachers in California, legislators there are sponsoring the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act. The bill’s idea is straightforward: eliminate income tax for teachers. Really, who could be against that? Specifically, the bill would exempt teachers who remain...
By Guest contributor | April 18, 2017