The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools announced today that its preliminary graduation rate for the 2014-15 school year rose to 77 percent, a seven-point improvement over the previous year. The 17 Partnership schools in South LA, Watts and Boyle Heights are part of a non-profit started by former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in 2008 while he...

The executive director of the state charter schools political action committee sent an email to the LA Unified school board and other district officials yesterday, offering a sharp response to a story in the Los Angeles Times that was highly critical of the group’s campaign finance reporting practices. “I am reaching out to you to ensure that...

In a recorded robo-call sent out to teachers last night, seven UTLA leaders encouraged them to attend the LA Unified board meeting next week and relate positive things that are going on in their schools. The union leaders, led by president Alex Caputo-Pearl, took turns encouraging teachers to remind the board that great things are...

Scott Schmerelson has revised his LA Unified board resolution that attacks an outside group’s plan to expand the number of charter schools in the district. A majority of the seven board members has expressed opposition to the plan. But a shift in mission from the group — Great Public Schools Now, supported by the Broad Foundation and...

By Christopher Cadelago With Californians staring down the prospect of a crowded ballot next fall, a new poll finds that 61 percent of likely voters believe there are too many propositions. At the same time, about the same percentage say they are satisfied with the way the initiative process is working, according to Public Policy...

House leaves ‘No Child’ education law behind The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bipartisan K-12 education bill. Washington Post, By Lyndsey Layton Leaves of absence tighten school labor pool Teachers taking months-long breaks from schools have steadily increased over the past decade, according to a report to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Cabinet...

A digital rights group in San Francisco has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Google, accusing it of spying on students that use the company’s Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education (GAFE) software by collecting and data mining children’s personal information, including their Internet searches. If true, the practice might violate...

Parents, teachers and school administrators from Larchmont Charter School in West Hollywood are protesting a cell phone tower proposed for a church bell tower next to the campus, with a large turnout expected at a public hearing at 6 p.m. tomorrow at the West Hollywood Library. The independent charter school is overseen by LAUSD but...

Parents upset over cell tower possible being installed near WeHo school Parents said radiation from the cell tower will have harmful effects on their children. ABC7, by Mayde Gomez Judge rules district not liable in arrest of special ed student in drug sting In 2012, it was called Operation Glasshouse, an undercover drug investigation at...

Outgoing LA Unified Superintendent Ramon Cortines got a series of big surprises this afternoon with a long-planned tribute that included a group of students singing for him and old friends stopping by district headquarters to honor his legacy. The school board auditorium was packed for the event, which Cortines knew nothing about. The seven school...