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LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King will remain on medical leave until after the new year

LA Unified Superintendent Michelle King will remain on medical leave until after the new year, she told employees Tuesday. King, who has been away from the district since last month, has appointed Vivian Ekchian as acting superintendent in her absence. Previously, it was unclear when she would return. King sent a letter to employees Tuesday updating them...
By Sarah Favot and Mike Szymanski | October 24, 2017
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LAUSD board members call on Ref Rodriguez to take a leave of absence amid criminal charges; Rodriguez says he won’t

LA Unified school board President Mónica García and school board members Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez called on their colleague and political ally Ref Rodriguez to take a leave of absence from the board while he is facing criminal charges related to campaign donations. However, in response, Rodriguez posted a statement on Twitter saying he would...
By Sarah Favot | October 24, 2017
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LA Unified stays cool in the heat; repair calls for air conditioners remain relatively low

With temperatures skirting the 100-degree mark for much of this week, LA Unified remains on top of air conditioning repairs in the school district and has not called for shortened days like neighboring Southern California school districts. “LA Unified does not have shortened days planned,” said Elvia Perez Caño, of LAUSD’s Communications and Media Relations for...
By Mike Szymanski | October 24, 2017
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Ref Rodriguez pleads not guilty to charges related to campaign donations

LA Unified school board member Ref Rodriguez pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony and misdemeanor charges related to an alleged political money laundering scheme during his 2015 election. Appearing in Los Angeles criminal court, Rodriguez surrendered his passport as a condition of his continued release. He is due back in court Dec. 13 along with...
By Sarah Favot | October 24, 2017
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Exclusive: Even after taking out gifted magnets, LAUSD magnets outperform charter schools on state standardized tests

Even after you take out gifted magnet programs where students have to meet academic admissions requirements, students at LA Unified’s magnet schools outperformed their peers at independent charter schools, an LA School Report analysis of district data found. The district released its own analysis last week of this year’s state standardized test scores, showing that for...
By Sarah Favot | October 23, 2017
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State watchdog agency closes conflict of interest complaint against Ref Rodriguez

A conflict of interest complaint alleging that Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez improperly directed $285,000 from the charter school network he co-founded to various non-profits he oversaw has been closed. The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission sent a letter Friday to Rodriguez’s attorney saying it was closing the complaint brought by Partnerships to...
By Sarah Favot | October 23, 2017
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LA charter is closing the ‘savvy gap’ for poor and immigrant students through high school internships

High school seniors at Academia Avance, an independent public charter school in northeast Los Angeles, show up to school looking like they’re headed to work. That’s because they are. Three days a week, all students in the senior class head off to internships where they are mentored by medical, legal, and business professionals. “Privileged kids...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | October 23, 2017
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Dual language programs are so popular that LAUSD plans to double the number of schools offering them by next year

Demand for LA Unified’s dual language programs is so high that the district plans to expand from 16 schools offering the programs to as many as 35 schools next year. Meanwhile, the nation’s second-largest school district — where students speak 94 languages — is closing in on meeting its goals for improving test scores for...
By Mike Szymanski | October 19, 2017
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These 3 California school networks are models for new Gates Foundation investments in education

Of the $1.7 billion that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to public education over the next five years, the majority will go toward supporting innovations within schools that have joined together in collaborative networks. Philanthropist Bill Gates made the announcement in Cleveland Thursday afternoon during his keynote speech at the Council of...
By Kate Stringer | October 19, 2017
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LAUSD board members unite with Democratic leaders to support passage of the DREAM Act

“DACA is dead. The Dream Act is a permanent solution for us, and that’s what we’re fighting for now,” said Paulina, an LA Unified graduate from Fremont High School and a DACA recipient who met on Wednesday with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, LA Unified board members, and business and community leaders in Los Angeles...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | October 18, 2017