The new executive director of Great Public Schools Now says a hostile LA Unified board resolution, angry union leaders or public opinion will not threaten the group’s goal to create successful schools, whoever’s in charge of them. If anything, said Myrna Castrejón, the widespread opposition to her organization, its plans and founder, Eli Broad, are...

With middle school principals’ sharing their best practices and dire needs, an LA Unified board committee yesterday set off on a new initiative to improve the academic and social skills of students one principal described as “hormones with arms and legs.” The discussion in the Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Equity Committee came two days after...

By Howard Blume Los Angeles’ beleaguered school system doesn’t need the aggressive shake-up some critics have called for so much as consistent, steady progress and collaboration, new schools Supt. Michelle King said in a meeting Thursday with The Times. In her first extended interview since taking office this week, King talked more about the “listening” she intends to do...

The state Joint Legislative Audit Committee yesterday approved an request by Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) to examine LA Unified’s “teacher jail,” a controversial process the district uses when investigating allegations of wrongdoing by employees. “The goal of this audit is to examine the basis, extent, and impact ‘Teacher Jail’ has on student learning as well as...

At the first LA Unified school board meeting of the year on Tuesday, Leon Popa found himself sitting through a long, grueling ordeal. “Leon Popa has now spent more time at this meeting than he did all day at school,” said school board President Steve Zimmer. And that was only halfway through a meeting that...

Great Public Schools Now, the Broad foundation spinoff organization with plans expands charter schools in Los Angeles Unified, today named Myrna Castrejón as its first executive director. Most recently a senior lobbyist and political strategist for the California Charter Schools Association, Castrejón will led the new group’s investment in “high-quality public schools” to reduce the...

By Alisha Kirby Recruitment efforts for special education positions – often the hardest jobs for schools to fill – have been forced to focus on out-of-state candidates as the shortage of teachers across California continues to loom. Vicki Barber, co-executive director of the California Statewide Taskforce on Special Education, said expanding the scope of the search...

Suspensions and expulsions decline as districts adopt alternatives, state says The number of students expelled and suspended from California schools continued to decline in 2014-15. EdSource, by Jane Meredith Adams How one student asked the state to tackle a looming education question The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the replacement of the No...

Daniel Jocz, a social studies teacher at LA Unified’s Downtown Magnets High School, is among four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award. Jocz was one of five winners of the California Teacher of the Year award in October and was nominated for the national competition by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a...

The LA Unified school board yesterday became the first elected body to ask government officials to move one of the largest above-ground butane gas facilities in the country. Located in San Pedro, the highly-flammable gas is housed in two storage tanks not far from three LAUSD school sites. School board member Richard Vladovic, who represents...