LA School Report

If the LA Unified School Board tomorrow approves another $13 million in bond money for digital devices for Smarter Balanced exams next spring, school principals are likely to get a choice of Apple iPads or Google Chromebooks. Chromebooks are about $100 cheaper, and some principals may prefer them. But there’s one problem: Even as Superintendent Ramon...

Back to the drawing board. Following the most recent bargaining session last Thursday, the teachers’ union, UTLA, has reportedly rejected a pay increase offer from LA Unified negotiators that fell short its goal of a 10 percent salary increase. The latest district offer included a 2 percent salary increase retroactive to July 1, a 2 percent...

More money needed to fix faulty student records system in L.A. Unified Los Angeles needs to spend at least $11 million more to deal with problems caused by MiSiS, officials will tell the school board this week. Los Angeles Times John Phillips: LAUSD and the CTA: Making enablers pay up Lawsuits can be devastating for...

In a story last week, LA School Report erred in repeating an assertion without a confirmation. The story quoted Adrian Dove, chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality of California, saying he knew of a letter George Buzzetti wrote to LA Police Chief Charlie Beck, in which Buzzetti characterized Beck as a “bigot.” LA School Report...

LA Unified’s latest offer to the teachers union, UTLA, represents either a hint of progress in negotiations for the teachers’ first contract in more than seven years or fertile ground for moving toward a strike. Here’s why the uncertainty: The 6 percent package includes the same salary increase that the district has offered all its...

* UPDATED Now that the list of eligible candidates for the LA Unified School Board’s four open seats in 2015 is finalizing, the district’s powerful unions are starting to choose which ones they’ll back and throw their considerable resources behind. The first endorsement came today: The union representing school cafeteria workers, custodians, special education assistants, and...

Today, on the one-year anniversary of her death, LA Unified today named a school after Marguerite LaMotte, a decade-long member of the school board. The district held a celebration event at what is now known as Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte Elementary School at 4410 Orchard Ave. in South LA that was hosted by George McKenna, who won LaMotte’s...

Starting today, LA School Report is turning to social media for reader comments. We’re shedding our current model, which required logging into the site. As always, we welcome civil discourse and encourage any and all readers to bring thoughtful points of view to our coverage. At the same time, we ask readers to refrain from...

California’s K-12 funding overhaul slowly takes root California has chosen an unusual, lead-from-behind approach that provides more state money to districts. SI&A Cabinet Report Apple pivoting iPad education strategy to regain its footing Google Chromebooks outsold Apple iPads in the U.S. education market, but Apple could yet make a come back. Yahoo Finance Freshman lawmaker...

* UPDATED LA Unified today increased its salary offer to the teachers union, UTLA, offering a one-year deal with a 6 percent increase. The district said in a press release the money would be distributed through a 2 percent ongoing salary increase retroactive to July 1; a 2 percent lump-sum payment based on 2013-14 earnings;...