LA School Report

LA Unified board member Tamar Galatzan is bringing aboard a new chief of staff, and anyone familiar with how the nation’s second-largest school district works and doesn’t work has the new hire to thank. Barbara Jones is stepping away from a long and distinguished newspaper career, the last 26 years at the LA Daily News,...

Marguerite LaMotte, the long-serving member of the LA Unified school board, died this morning in San Diego, where she was attending a meeting of the California School Boards Association. She was 80. A former teacher and principal, LaMotte was first elected to the board in 2003, before term limits were put in effect, and remained...

Marguerite LaMotte, a member of the LA Unified school board since 2003, died this morning, the district has confirmed. She was 80. LaMotte had been attending a meeting of the California School Boards Association meeting in San Diego. Board President Richard Vladovic and Superintendent John Deasy were also attending. LaMotte was the longest-serving member of...

Don’t let fears stop necessary technology reform in L.A. schools Commentary: The LA Unified School District has been lauded — and scrutinized — for its trailblazing efforts to reform teacher evaluation and include student achievement in hiring and firing decisions. But the $1 billion push to provide every student and teacher with an iPad may be...

With the filing deadline tomorrow, a new candidate has emerged to challenge Warren Fletcher as president of UTLA. Kevin Mottus, who frequently appears at LA Unified school board meetings to warn of adverse health effects of wireless digital devices, is the latest among three challengers to file for running, according to the union’s most recent...

LAUSD could lose up to $200 million if families don’t submit paperwork Facing the potential loss of up to $200 million in state money to help educate impoverished students, Los Angeles Unified is scrambling to comply with new state rules requiring financial verification for every low-income pupil. LA Daily News LA Unified board member Bennett...

Friction between LA Unified and the state escalated today as Superintendent John Deasy lashed out against a new state rule that requires low-income parents to verify their economic status to insure that their children remain eligible for free or reduced-priced meals. The state is asserting that failure to provide the proof on an annual basis...

LA Unified is getting another Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor, thanks to a $250,000 grant from Partners in Progress, a new collaboration between Citi Foundation and the Low Income Investment Fund. The money comes to the district from the Youth Policy Institute, one of 13 organizations around the country that won a Partners in Progress...