Morning Read: Cost of LAUSD earthquake fixes nearly $1 billion
LA School Report | February 20, 2014
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More than 600 L.A. school buildings need quake evaluations, retrofits
The Los Angeles Unified School District still has hundreds of school buildings in need of detailed seismic evaluations and strengthening to withstand a major earthquake, according to district data. The Times requested an update of the school district’s inventory of its buildings in need of seismic review. LA Times
LAUSD parents, teachers criticize iPad rollout, call for school repairs
Critics of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s $1 billion iPad program gathered Wednesday outside a downtown school to call for money to be used on school repairs and funding for teachers. LA Daily News
Repairs or iPads? Must LAUSD schools choose?
Editorial: Considering how hard they’re trying to put iPad tablet computers in the hands of every student and teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District leaders clearly understand the power of modern technology to educate. Lately they’ve been getting a not entirely pleasant reminder of that power. LA Daily News
LA school board criticized for closed discussion on ‘caretaker’
The Los Angeles Unified school board decided unanimously to tap former administrator Sylvia Rousseau to temporarily represent the south-central district until a special election can be held in June to replace late board member Margueritte LaMotte. But the way the board reached that decision – discussing its options in a closed-door meeting – is drawing fire. KPCC
Scrutiny in California for software in schools
A leading California lawmaker plans to introduce state legislation on Thursday that would shore up privacy and security protections for the personal information of students in elementary through high school, a move that could alter business practices across the nearly $8 billion education technology software industry. New York Times
PTA program creates parent advocates
With 117 years of promoting parent involvement under its collective belt, the PTA thinks it has the right formula for training parents in their new watchdog role under California’s reformed school finance and accountability system. The PTA program, called School Smarts, is aimed at giving elementary school parents the tools they need to advocate for their children and their school. EdSource