Governor Brown’s $10 billion increase gets mostly applause Governor Jerry Brown’s budget proposal Thursday to increase education funding next fiscal year by $9.7 billion made a lot of fans – but didn’t please everyone. Public schools would get $61.6 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal year under the governor’s plan. The Legislature would have to approve...

Brown projects big increase in school spending in next budget With state revenues surging, Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing to raise K-12 spending in next year’s state budget a healthy $725 per student – 8.5 percent on average – and to use additional new dollars to wipe the last $6 billion of late payment to...

Schools to hold election to fill LaMotte seat After listening to hours of public testimony Tuesday evening, the Los Angeles Board of Education voted to call a special election to fill the seat of Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, who died last month. LA Times A $71 billion teacher pension liability won’t shrink Editorial: The California State...

EdWatch 2014: Top 12 education issues in the new year The new year is ushering in some big changes in public education, from a revamp of school funding to uncharted territory in student testing and new educational standards. Here’s a glance at issues to watch this year that will define California education in 2014. EdSource...

L.A. Unified finally hiring teachers again After an extended period of layoffs and hiring freezes, the Los Angeles Unified School District has resumed bringing on new teachers, while also being more selective about their quality than in the past. The nation’s second-largest school system forecasts hiring 1,333 instructors for next year; it hired 718 for the...

State’s largest urban districts post gains on national assessment Three of California’s largest school districts showed gains on a national assessment of urban districts that also singled out Los Angeles and Fresno Unified for special recognition from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. EdSource Network upgrades to push up cost of LA schools’ massive iPad...

L.A. Unified board delays decision on replacing LaMotte The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday delayed a decision on how to fill the seat of former member Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, who died earlier this month. Three members wanted to postpone the discussion until after LaMotte’s funeral, while three others supported taking up the issue...

L.A. school board priority: Put students first Editorial: The memory of Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, a long-standing member of the Los Angeles Unified school board, deserves to be honored. She was a devoted educator who fought for students and teachers. There are many appropriate ways to show respect to such an accomplished and caring woman: Name a...

Next phase of L.A. iPad plan is back on school board’s agenda Two board members are trying to skirt a delay in efforts to provide iPads to every student, teacher and administrator in the LA Unified School District. The unusual maneuver is being pursued by board members Monica Garcia and Tamar Galatzan, who are the...