LA School Report

L.A. Unified finally hiring teachers again After an extended period of layoffs and hiring freezes, the Los Angeles Unified School District has resumed bringing on new teachers, while also being more selective about their quality than in the past. The nation’s second-largest school system forecasts hiring 1,333 instructors for next year; it hired 718 for the...

With a holiday break approaching, LA School Report is taking a breather too. We will return on January 6, for full coverage of the intersection of politics and policy in public education here in Los Angeles.Thanks for checking in with us each day, and we look forward to resuming our coverage in the new year....

It may not have been the best of years or the worst of years, but 2013 was certainly among the most interesting of years for education-watchers in Los Angeles. Here are some of our favorite highs and lows of the year at LA Unified.

When 2013 comes to a close, LA Unified will stop offering GED tests over concerns about cost and computer-only access. Until the state chooses an alternative that provides a version with paper-and-pencil, degree seekers will have to visit schools outside the district. “The populations that we serve, especially the adults, are among those who need...

How much do you know about the Common Core Standards? Choose all that apply. The Common Core is: a) a new set of nationwide standards that will encourage deep thinking instead of rote memorization b) a new round of edu-crap, like No Child Left Behind c) replacing state standards in 45 states including California d) causing...

Without any debate on Tuesday, the LA Unified school board approved five new charter schools and renewed eight existing charters. One other renewal came with an asterisk: The Alliance Ouchi-O’Donovan 6-12 Complex, a low-performing middle school and high performing high school that merged this year, was asked to return next year for a review after...