District 2 covers most of East Los Angeles and is currently represented by Monica Garcia, president of the school board and perhaps the staunchest foe of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). There are already a number of declared candidates in District 2, so the question isn’t so much who will run as who else...

Thanks to a kind reader for sending along this PBS NewsHour segment in which former LAUSD superintendent Roy Romer debates American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten:  It’s a couple of weeks old but still might be worth the watch, given the ongoing debate over including student achievement in teacher evaluations and whether unions can...

The recent LA Magazine profile of Superintendent John Deasy included a surprising statistic: “When Deasy arrived, about 98 percent of eligible teachers were granted tenure. Now the approval rate is less than 50 percent.” That sounded unbelievable to me– it either had to be a mistake, or the result of some little-publicized but groundbreaking policy....

District 6 is an open seat, as current board member Nury Martinez is leaving the school board to run for City Council. Both UTLA and the education reform community are likely to pick candidates and dump money into independent expenditure campaigns supporting them. But who will they pick? One possible candidate for ed reformers in...

Last week, Governor Jerry Brown signed no less than 14 education bills, according to his website. They included a law that re-works how principals are evaluated, and one that makes it harder to expel a student. He also vetoed two bills.  Below the break is the full list.

Who: A self-appointed caucus of progressive teachers within the 38,000- member United Teachers Los Angeles union. What: Currently holds more than 25 percent of the 350 seats in the UTLA House of Representatives, and helped elect a reform-friendly UTLA president last year. Has inspired similar factions in other districts.. via Atlantic Magazine: The Education Upstarts. Other...

Launched last month, LA School Report site has been taking the LA education scene  by storm. Thanks to everyone for all the great responses and ideas. Now we’re looking for another writer/reporter/blogger/researcher to join the team and help us make the site even better. It’s a paid, half-time position. Hours are flexible, however, candidates must be...

Most Angelenos don’t realize it, but the local primary election is just five months away. Even fewer know that in addition the Mayor and City Council, the March 5 ballot will include three school board seats. Three, count ’em, three (out of seven). But why should anyone be paying attention? There aren’t even any candidates...

Last Friday, UTLA put on an event to demonstrate support for the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and held a conference call with CTU delegates who were then still on strike (see Support spreads for CTU Socialist Worker).  Excitement among union leaders and rank-and-file teachers was high.  Accountability-minded reformers were grumbling that the district had given away too...

Just about everyone who watches LAUSD is scratching their heads wondering just what board member Steve Zimmer is doing — lately more than ever. He’s introduced two incredibly polarizing motions recently– one to reject the use of Academic Growth Over Time in teacher evaluations, and one to provide greater oversight for charter schools and, more...