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LA School Report didn’t exist when I was an editor at the Los Angeles Times, but I wish it had. Jamie Lynton launched this site three and a half years ago. Since then, most recently as city editor at the Los Angeles Daily News, I found myself turning often to LA School Report for its news updates, analysis and commentary. I read as an editor, wanting to stay on top of the LA school beat; I read as a mother of two boys enrolled in both traditional and charter public schools.

When I was invited to help expand LA School Report in partnership with The 74, I jumped at the chance to advance the cause of journalism in public education reporting. That’s my goal as LA School Report’s new executive editor (and The 74’s first West Coast bureau chief).

I’m a product of public schools. My mother was a public school teacher in Minnesota. In an ideal world every one of America’s 74 million students would receive a stellar education at their local public school. That’s what I want. Sadly, that’s not the reality, not even close. Millions of our children and their families have no other options when their local public schools fail them.

As a journalist, I’m naturally interested in broader reporting on the school leaders and policymakers who are fighting to give these children more options — as well as the innovation happening in classrooms across California. I’m equally interested in the $71 BILLION that California taxpayers gift our K-12 public schools. Where exactly does it come from? Where does it go? Where is it succeeding? Where is it failing?

Who is accountable for results?

Most of all, I’m eager to meet and share the stories of those who are giving their all for the education of the students of this great city and state, in both traditional and charter public schools, and what we can learn from their success to help all of America’s 74 million children.

And I’m pleased to meet you, our readers who care about them.

–Laura Greanias

laura@laschoolreport.com
laura@the74million.org
@LauraGreanias