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Commentary: Time to turn that iPhone off, kids

By Steve Lopez | The Los Angeles Times A rare event took place recently on a family trek across Los Angeles, when my wife and I noticed an unusual sound coming from the back seat. Our daughter was talking to us. It was like being in a time warp. Free, unsolicited conversation has pretty much...
By LA School Report | April 22, 2015
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Morning Read: California vaccine bill coming to a committee vote

After delay, lawmakers to vote on California vaccine bill A contentious bill that would require California schoolchildren to be vaccinated faces a critical vote Wednesday. Contra Costa Times Fight over renewal of Obama’s school lunch rules creates unlikely alliances The Healthy School Meals Act was seen as a landmark nutritional achievement for the most health-conscious...
By LA School Report | April 22, 2015
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Just In: LAUSD board approves teacher deal, valued at $607 million

* UPDATED The 10.4 percent salary increases LA Unified has agreed to in its deal with United Teachers Los Angeles will cost the district $607 million over three years, according to an analysis Superintendent Ramon Cortines circulated to board members today. Later, the board voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the deal. The final salary figure...
By Vanessa Romo | April 21, 2015
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Why we are closing down comments on our site (for now)

Readers of LA School Report may notice that we are no longer providing an option for posting comments, following in the footsteps of other news outlets recently. While our comment section sometimes served as a lively place for informed debate with differing opinions on education issues in Los Angeles, it has increasingly become a repository for...
By Jamie Alter Lynton | April 21, 2015
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A deal that lets LAUSD and the teachers union proclaim victory

Views of an agreement: The salary raises agreed upon in the deal between LA Unified and the teachers union, UTLA, is a win for both sides. Of, course, each side can spin the results in a different way. For the teachers, they can legitimately say they got a double-digit boost, 10 percent over two years....
By Michael Janofsky | April 21, 2015
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Report urges ending ‘cruel summer’ for CA classified school workers

Supporters of a state bill aimed at making classified school employees eligible for unemployment benefits over the summer are touting a new report that found an overall economic benefit, should it become law. Introduced by Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, Assembly Bill 399 would make over 248,000 classified workers eligible for benefits over the summer months when they...
By Craig Clough | April 21, 2015
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Commentary: LAUSD preschool cuts penny-wise, pound-foolish

By Sandy Banks | The Los Angeles Times Three years ago, adult education was on the chopping block at Los Angeles Unified. Money was tight and the classes were considered a luxury the district could no longer afford. This time around, the system’s smallest students are being asked to sacrifice: To save $16 million, the...
By LA School Report | April 21, 2015
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Morning Read: Paper wins Pulitzer for Centinela Valley Unified stories

Daily Breeze wins Pulitzer Prize for Centinela Valley Unified investigation The Daily Breeze just won a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting for their coverage of the Centinela Valley Unified School District. Daily Breeze Inconsistent training leaves special education staff struggling Special education staff operating outside the restrictions of general education. Ed Source Threats against Cleveland High...
By LA School Report | April 21, 2015
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Can a $25,000 giveaway increase voter turnout in District 5?

Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on the race by supporters, voter turnout in the District 5 LA Unified school board primary in March was pretty dreadful, with only 12 percent of registered voters coming to the polls. But now a nonprofit dedicated to getting more Latinos to the polls seems to think a...
By Craig Clough | April 20, 2015
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LA Unified board calls meeting to approve contract offered to teachers

The Los Angeles Unified school board is meeting tomorrow afternoon in private to vote on approving the contract agreement negotiated with the 35,000-member teachers union, UTLA, that gives district teachers a 10.4 percent raise over two years. What that translates to in dollars is a work in progress. Tom Waldman, the district spokesman, told LA School...
By Vanessa Romo | April 20, 2015