(Published in today’s Los Angeles Times) Ousting Supt. John Deasy, as the union wants, would hurt students. by Jamie Alter Lynton The leadership of the Los Angeles teachers union recently conducted a survey among its members asking if they had confidence in Los Angeles Unified Supt. John Deasy. Although it was highly unusual for...

If you were running for School Board it might seem obvious you would need to be prepared to answer this simple question: “Do you support current LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy?” But at last week’s District 6 candidate forum for the Los Angeles School Board race in the San Fernando Valley, this question made for some...

Earlier this week in Washington, I was able to catch up with a number of familiar faces including President Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Asked about school progress in Los Angeles, Duncan expressed optimism for the gains LAUSD has made since Superintendent John Deasy took the helm. “He has a powerful vision – and it’s...

Lots of blame was dished out last week after a state audit found weak dismissal and reporting practices at LAUSD regarding teachers accused of sexual misconduct. Especially vocal was UTLA president Warren Fletcher, who has consistently lobbed criticism at LAUSD for how it has managed the scandal. Now I am a Prop-30-supporting-dyed-in-the-wool union Democrat, but...

It’s not often that a single piece of legislation can be called catastrophic for the future of education in California, but Sacramento has managed to create it. It’s called AB 5 – a bill that will legislate how teachers are evaluated, and it has re-appeared Frankenstein-like, with the backing the powerful teachers’ unions. Stuffed with...

Today I am pleased to announce the official launch of LA School Report. My goal is to provide meaningful coverage on issues related to the Los Angeles public schools and to shine a light on a system that receives little attention despite its enormous importance. As the second largest school system in the country and one that commands...