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LAUSD board to consider graduation rate boosting measures

School may be out for students and teachers but LA Unified School board members still have a lot of work ahead of them at tomorrow’s board meeting with several proposals intended to boost (or at least maintain) districtwide graduation rates. At the top of the list is a resolution to ease rigorous graduation requirements and...
By Vanessa Romo | June 8, 2015
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The truth behind California’s high school graduation rate

By Elissa Nadworny The national graduation rate is at an all-time high — 81 percent. It was such big news, President Obama touted it in this year’s State of the Union address. That got us thinking: What’s the story behind that 81 percent? Working with a team of reporters in 14 states, we set off...
By LA School Report | June 8, 2015
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Morning Read: Some LA families struggle with graduation costs

Ending senior year with a bang isn’t cheap at many L.A.-area high schools Sticker shock has hit families hard in these final weeks of high school, which are filled with expensive events. Los Angeles Times State lawmakers want to change teachers evaluations State legislators are approving bills that will revamp teacher evaluations for the first...
By LA School Report | June 8, 2015
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$40 million project could unite International Studies Learning Center campuses

Shuttling teachers between two campuses requires impeccable organization and skillful time management, and Guillermina Jauregui can’t wait for the day when she won’t have to do either anymore. That day could come at some point in 2019 if the LA Unified School Board decides next week to approve a new construction project to expand the...
By Vanessa Romo | June 5, 2015
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3 groups planning major rallies at Tuesday’s LAUSD board meeting

School may be out for the summer, but things are not cooling down for the LA Unified school board as no less than three organizations are planing rallies or protests at Tuesday’s scheduled board meeting. The LA teachers union, UTLA, the Ethnic Studies Now Coalition and a conglomerate of organizations in favor of the district...
By Craig Clough | June 5, 2015
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Commentary: LA Unified should keep A-G curriculm in place

By Michele Siqueiros How does the daughter of a seamstress with a sixth grade education get to college? For me, it was luck. As a good student I worked hard in school, but had I not been lucky in high school to be assigned the A-G high school courses required for consideration to the University of...
By Guest contributor | June 5, 2015
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Cyberbullying a growing threat for young children

By David Whiting A combination of handed-down smartphones, summer break and a new wave of shadowy apps makes the next three months especially dangerous for children, warns a nationally recognized cybercop. Understand, it’s not just pedophiles and pimps preying on children. It’s children preying on children. Despite parental controls, says Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Clay...
By LA School Report | June 5, 2015
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Morning Read: Common Core testing goes smoothly in CA

Students take online Common Core test with minimal interruptions An estimated 3.2 million 3rd- through 8th-graders and 11th-graders will have taken tests in English language arts and math. Ed Source 2 high school students arrested for allegedly changing grades for cash Authorities said the students hacked into the network and shut down the school’s website,...
By LA School Report | June 5, 2015
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JUST IN: Cortines opposes ethnic studies graduation requirement

With Superintendent Ramon Cortines voicing opposition to the idea, the future of LA Unified’s plan to make the district the second in the state to require an ethnic studies course as a high school graduation requirement appears to be in doubt. In a May 8 letter obtained by LA School Report addressed to the Ethnic Studies Advisory...
By Craig Clough | June 4, 2015
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LA Unified to consider dropping ‘C’ requirement for graduation

D is for diploma! In a major reversal, LA Unified school board members are proposing to change graduation requirements that compel students to pass college prep courses with a “C” or better, making a “D” an acceptable grade to earn their high school diplomas. If passed, the resolution by board members Monica Garcia, Steve Zimmer...
By Vanessa Romo | June 4, 2015