* UPDATED In a scathing critique of LA Unified’s implementation of its new student data tracking system, a team of independent analysts found problems from the beginning, including an overall “lack of communication or understanding of application stability” critical to the project’s success. In short, Arnold Viramontes, an outside expert hired by former superintendent John...

Attorneys for LA Unified asked the judge in the civil trial against the district involving the sex abuse scandal at Miramonte Elementary School for a gag order, which would prevent anyone involved with the case from talking publicly about it, according to NBC Los Angeles. Jury selection in the case is expected to begin later this month. The case stems from...

In a new effort to gain wider perspectives for technology projects, LA Unified has formed a New Technology Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the district’s various labor partners. As the district said in a statement, now on its website, the committee strives “to foster and strengthen relationships” with LA Unified’s labor partners, community members...

The bargaining session scheduled for today between LA Unified and the teachers union, UTLA, has been cancelled, due to an illness of a union staff member, a district official said. The agenda had included discussions of teacher support and evaluation, parent empowerment and adult education. What was not expected to be part of the dialogue...

After Tuesday’s two-hour MiSiS meltdown, Superintendent Ramon Cortines called for Microsoft to send in the cavalry and the Seattle-based company responded by sending a total of one — count ’em, one — expert to help with the glitch-plagued student data program serving 650,000 students. The system crashed when too many teachers logged on to update...

It appears that a former LA Unified worker who received little press or campaign contributions may have pulled off a huge upset and narrowly defeated incumbent Raul Bocanegra, D-Pacoima, for the District 39 seat in the California State Assembly. Patty Lopez, who is also a Democrat and a resident of San Fernando, worked at LA Unified’s North...

Steve Zimmer was the only member of the LA school board with a public response to yesterday’s victory by Tom Torlakson, who won a second term as state Superintendent for Public Instruction. In it, Zimmer makes clear his disdain for the wealthy funders who backed the losing candidate, Marshall Tuck, congratulating the state teacher unions...

Oops. Despite efforts by Superintendent Ramon Cortines and LA Unified‘s Information Technology team to get MiSiS back on track — or at the very least, semi-functional — it seems that the data management system remains unreliable. The system went down between 2 pm and 4 pm yesterday, he said in a memo to staff. It...

Marshall Tuck, who lost a close race to incumbent Tom Torlakson for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, had this to say after the votes were counted: “Sixteen months ago we set out on this journey to do one thing: put children first and ensure that every child has equal access to a quality education. And...