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...

The LA Unified school board spent more than an hour last night, debating dates for the next three academic calendar years. Ultimately, the members decided to keep the schedule similar to this year’s — starting in mid-August with three weeks of winter break — but only for one year. The plan passed on a 5-2...

L.A. school board finds unity in opposing charter plan The Los Angeles Board of Education found common ground by offering its first public opposition to a controversial $490-million charter schools proposal. Los Angeles Times, by Zahira Torres Backers amend Prop. 30 initiative to meet governor’s demand As amended, revenue from continuing Prop. 30 after 2018...

The LA Unified board today put itself on record as opposing a proposal that originated with the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to expand the number of charter schools in the district in the years ahead. By a 7-0 vote, the board made it clear that it would do what it could to discourage the...

The LA Unified school board today unanimously approved a $350,000 annual contract for the district’s new superintendent Michelle King. The contract runs through June 30 of 2018, provides a district-owned car and driver for King and does not include a buyout clause. The deal is $50,000 more annually than her predecessor, Ramon Cortines, received, and...

Now that Michelle King has been hired as LA Unified’s new superintendent, it’s time to ask if the school board made the right decision. King, 54, who has worked for the district since 1984 and has been its No. 2 administrator since 2011, was chosen over several outside candidates, including San Francisco schools Supt. Richard Carranza...

* UPDATED The LA Unified school board’s selection of Michelle King as the district’s new superintendent has elicited widespread praise from city and community leaders. If there are any leaders angered or disappointed in the choice, they are so far keeping to themselves. As a longtime employee of the district, King was most often cited...

I’ve never met Michelle King, but I’ve read enough about her and listened to enough people discussing her that one thing makes perfect sense to me: She’s the ideal superintendent for LA Unified. For right now. After all the time and expense — especially the time — district officials spent searching for a successor to...