LA School Report

Via The New York Times | By Tina Rosenberg Three years ago, Clintondale High School, just north of Detroit, became a “flipped school” — one where students watch teachers’ lectures at home and do what we’d otherwise call “homework” in class. Teachers record video lessons, which students watch on their smartphones, home computers or at...

New funding formula revives push for smaller class sizes Just weeks into the school year, some districts are struggling with a provision in California’s dramatic revision of its school financing system that calls for smaller class sizes in grades K-3. The new funding formula, signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in July, gives school...

Governor Jerry Brown’s veto of AB 375, a bill that would have amended California’s teacher dismissal process, doesn’t mean the effort is dead. “The governor still wants to do something,” LA Unified’s chief lobbyist, Edgar Zazueta, told LA School Report. “I do see there will be one, if not several, efforts to do this next year. Hopefully we’re...

Bennett Kayser has taken over as chairman of the LA Unified School Board budget committee, replacing Tamar Galatzan, who stepped down after two years. Galatzan said that she saw no reason for the budget committee — formally, the Facilities, Audit and Budget Committee — to meet at the moment, now that the district is conducting a a...

LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy applauded Governor Jerry Brown’s decision today to veto AB 375, a controversial teacher dismissal bill which had widespread teacher union support. Deasy, who had supported stronger legislation, told LA School Report that he was not surprised by the veto: “I appreciate the governor, in my opinion, making a wise decision....

Under mounting pressure, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a controversial bill originally meant to make it easier to dismiss teachers for abusive or inappropriate behavior. In a veto memo, Brown said he “share[s] the authors’ desire to streamline the teacher discipline process, but this bill is an imperfect solution.”

It has been almost five years since local voters approved Measure Q, authorizing LA Unified to sell $7 billion in bonds for school repairs and upgrades. Any idea how much has been raised? Zero. Any idea how much of the $7 billion will be available when bonds are sold and spending starts next year? “A...