LA School Report

As it turns out, there are two places today to learn about elements of LA Unified’s Common Core Technology Project. One is a committee meeting, planned for 5:30 p.m. at district headquarters. The other is a 5 o’clock union protest at Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences, where Tamar Galatzan is hosting a community meeting at...

San Fernando Valley charter schools unite to form advocacy council After a change in Los Angeles Unified’s funding policy sent their numbers soaring, the 42 affiliated charter schools in the San Fernando Valley have formed an official council that will work as a bloc to communicate with district officials. The Valley Affiliated Charter Schools organized...

Another long day for LA Unified board members is gearing up tomorrow, with their regular meeting at 10 a.m., followed by two committee meetings. Only one item at the board meeting is open to the public: a motion to urge the US Army Corps of Engineers to adopt a new plan, called Alternative 20, to revitalize...

Via Ed Source | By Gina Plate Commentary: The charter school movement began as a way to create a new kind of public school – one with more flexibility and autonomy over instruction and operations in exchange for higher levels of accountability. However, as the movement evolved, flexibility and autonomy did not follow in the...

USC’s School of Education announces long-term support for graduates Recognizing the rising pressure to hold teachers and administrators responsible for student achievement and pressures on new teachers, the University of Southern California’s college of education is offering its graduates a guarantee – if they’re struggling with part of their jobs, the college will have their...

LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy used the resolution of the Mark Berndt molestation case to campaign for a new law that would make it easier to get rid of abusive teachers. Berndt, a Miramonte Elementary School teacher who was accused of abusing 23 students under the age of 14, pleaded no contest in court today and...

The LA Unified board voted on petitions for a number of charter schools at Tuesday’s meeting. Four requests were approved, one was denied while another current charter school’s status was suspended. Here’s the scorecard: Approved: Ánimo Avalon Charter Middle School, the Math and Science College Preparatory-East High School, the PUC Inspire Charter Academy Middle School, and...

When downtown’s 9th Street Elementary closed in 2010 to undergo construction on a gleaming new $54 million campus, its state academic rankings placed it among the lowest of the low, even among similar schools. Now, with a gorgeous new campus and ambitious new principal, the school represents a potential bright spot in a district beset...

Over the past few years, LA Unified has been implementing a plan to go green by installing solar power systems in 68 schools throughout the district. The plan was well underway last year, and as of today the district is still on track, with 59 schools now equipped with solar power systems and nine left...