Parents may be surprised to learn that LAUSD has a suspension rate of 2.7 percent — far below the state average of 5.7 percent, according to data from the California Department of Education. However, at some schools, suspension rates are as high as 20 and 30 percent. And the suspension rate is particularly low in the...

In a 5-2 vote, the 2013-2015 LAUSD School Board just elected Dr. Richard Vladovic (pictured, center) to be its next President at today’s Board meeting. Board members Steve Zimmer, Bennett Kayser, Monica Ratliff, and Marguerite Lamotte voted for Vladovic. Board members Tamar Galatzan and Monica Garcia voted against. We’re livetweeting the proceedings via @laschoolreport and...

There hasn’t been as much chatter as might be expected on the eve of a School Board vote on who will be the next President, but the most likely candidates to replace Board member Monica Garcia are Board members Richard Vladovic or Steve Zimmer. To understand how the race likely narrows down to these two,...

Sacramento-based education reform advocacy nonprofit StudentsFirst spent 42 percent of its $3.7 million spending in support of Democratic candidates in the 2012 campaign cycle, according to documents obtained by LA School Report editor Alexander Russo — but in California that figure was 100 percent: In California, the organization funded three Democratic candidates (Brian Johnson, Cheryl Brown, and Ian Calderon)...

Stephen Caesar has a very good piece in this morning’s LA Times about the teachers who won’t be returning to the reconstituted Crenshaw High School next year. More than half of the teachers at Crenshaw won’t be returning next year. According to Caeser, “Those not rehired can search for openings within the district; if they don’t find a...

Here’s an interview with LAUSD’s chief lobbyist, Edgar Zazueta, published in Board member Tamar Galatzan’s email newsletter: As the largest school district in the state (by nearly 400,000 students), along with plenty of representation (11 assemblymembers, 10 senators, and 9 congressmembers), when LAUSD speaks, lawmakers listen. Doing that speaking is our Director of Government Relations,...

Earlier this month, Educators 4 Excellence-Los Angeles (E4E) held an event at which the teacher advocacy group unveiled a set of recommendations its members had developed, which included ideas for retaining and rewarding effective teachers in LAUSD. Below, you can check out some snapshots provided by E4E from the event, which was attended by Board...