LA School Report

Drinking too much at a work dinner or hitting on a co-worker’s spouse can make things truly uncomfortable at the office. But what about publicly damning a future colleague before his first day on the job? That’s the situation LA Unified school board Vice President Steve Zimmer faces, now that Ref Rodriguez has defeated his good...

LA Unified will begin phasing out polystyrene trays this month, replacing them with environmentally friendly compostable plates. The change comes as part of the district’s membership in the Urban School Food Alliance  (USFA), along with New York, Chicago, Miami-Dade, Dallas and Orlando. The cities have banded to implement healthier and more environmentally sound food choices while using...

By Martin Blythe In a commentary last week, four LA Unified students demanded that the district retain the A-G college-prep graduation requirements —  Cs or better for a diploma — despite warnings that it would lead to tens of thousands of students not graduating in the years ahead. While more money and resources often solve problems,...

By Deepa Fernandes The higher minimum wage in the city of Los Angeles may harm the very poor families it is intended to help, according to members of the child care planning committee that advises the county. The L.A. City Council voted Tuesday to raise the minimum wage from the current $9 an hour to $10.50 on...

Demonstrators call for removal of principal at John W. Mack Elementary  The emotions were raw outside of John W. Mack Elementary School in South Los Angeles Thursday. ABC7 New California teaching credentials decline for 10th successive year At the same time, the number of teachers given short-term and provisional permits, and so- called “intern” credentials,...

LA Unified officials are in Sacramento today lobbying for adult education and transitional kindergarten programs. Oh yeah, and the budget, too. Among those joining in on the road trip are Chief Deputy Superintendent Michelle King, Chief Financial Officer Megan Reilly and board members George McKenna and Steve Zimmer. They planned to meet with Senate President Pro...

Ref Rodriguez is an anomaly not only for becoming the first candidate backed by the state charter schools to win a seat on the LA Unified board. He’s an anomaly for winning at a time of mayoral disengagement with public education. That’s the view of Ben Austin, political director for Students Matter, the Vergara people,...

A high-profile LAPD raid on Venice High School that made international headlines after 15 male students were arrested on charges of sexual assault has resulted in prosecutors’ decision not to prosecute anyone in the case. The large number of students arrested in mid-March and the high number of law enforcement personnel that descended on the...

By Elizabeth Harris and Ford Fessenden It started with a speech in the fall, to parents who had gathered in the auditorium to learn what to expect during the nascent school year. “I spoke at the open house and said, ‘We hope you’ll opt out of the tests,’ ” said Heather Roberts, vice president of the...

L.A. school board seat is a pivotal win for charter school movement The win gives the district’s 211 charter schools a key ally they never had before. Los Angeles Times L.A. School Board wins/losss are like mirror images Rarely do voters demand change while simultaneously reaffirming the status quo, but that’s exactly what happened in...