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Racial tensions are rising at Watts middle school
Fanning racial tensions at a Watts middle school, several African American parents asserted Wednesday that Latino administrators are unfairly targeting their children and unofficially suspending them from classes. The practices at Markham Middle School, parents said, contradict directives by the Los Angeles Board of Education and L.A. schools chief John Deasy to seek alternative ways to discipline students in order to keep them in school. LA Times

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Where foster kids live affects school performance, report says
Foster youth perform worse in school depending on where they are placed, such as group homes, and how long they stay there, according to a new report that reveals the impact of living conditions and other factors on the academic achievement of foster children. In the latest report, the researchers found that older foster students – particularly those who live in group homes or have experienced three or more foster placements in one school year – have the lowest academic achievement of all foster youth. EdSource

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Lawmakers urge governor to preserve career tech funding
In a sign of budget debates to come, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, including more than half of the state Assembly, have signed a letter urging Gov. Jerry Brown to preserve funding for career education programs that help prepare students to enter the workforce when they graduate. Edsource

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No money for accurate count of childcare needs
Legislative leaders have decided to delay at least another year efforts to restore a mere $8 million needed to provide an accurate count of the state’s unmet childcare and preschool needs. Advocates for lower and middle income families have pressed lawmakers and the governor for much of the last year to return hundreds of millions of dollars slashed from the state budget since the recession for child welfare programs. S&I Cabinet Report

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Hollywood High goes down in history
Hollywood High School has been considered historic for quite some time, but last week, its status became official, as alumni celebrated the Home of the Sheiks’ placement on the National Register of Historic Places. To commemorate the 2012 designation, officials unveiled bronze plaques that were placed in the auditorium, library, and science and liberal arts buildings at the school, which was constructed in 1904. Beverly Press

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Excitement, questions as news of LA Schools arts hire spreads
News of Los Angeles Unified hiring a new top arts educator received mixed reaction Wednesday — as some lauded his background and others questioned why the new position was not posted publicly. “I think this is great for arts education in Los Angeles County,” said Arts for LA’s Executive Director Danielle Brazell. She called him a “strong visionary.” KPCC