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Monica Garcia Takes a Job, Becomes Part-Timer on Board
In an under-the-radar move, Monica Garcia has taken a job in LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina‘s office, which means she’s now a part-time member of the LA Unified school board. “For seven years, I did the LAUSD Board member job full time,” Garcia told LA School Report. “While I appreciated that intense focus on education,...
By Hillel Aron | September 12, 2013
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Vladovic Leadership Style Suggests Slower Pace is Best
When Richard Vladovic was elected by his colleagues as President of the LA Unified school board in July, observers predicted a much slower moving agenda. Judging by Tuesday’s board meeting, that’s exactly what’s happened. The meeting lasted about 8 hours and wrapped up a bit after 9 pm. That’s not an unheard of duration; some...
By Hillel Aron | September 12, 2013
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No Statewide Testing Could Delay Parent Trigger Drives
Sometime in hour five of yesterday’s marathon LA Unified school board meeting, the board approved a new set of guidelines to help principals, teachers and parents navigate the complex Parent Trigger process. That’s the state law allowing parents to take over a failing school and force a complete overhaul, so long as a majority of...
By Vanessa Romo | September 11, 2013
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NYT Magazine Looks at Emotions as Part of Learning
“Something we now know, from doing dozens of studies, is that emotions can either enhance or hinder your ability to learn,” Marc Brackett, a senior research scientist in psychology at Yale University, says in a New York Times magazine story appearing this Sunday that examines issues beyond tests and grades that are key to a...
By LA School Report | September 11, 2013
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In the Spotlight: LA School Report
A new media column launched at Education Week by columnist Mark Walsh has already featured LA School Report twice in its very first week. Yesterday, in his post, L.A. Confidential: New Editor for Scrappy Education News Site, Walsh writes about the changing of the guard here at LA School Report with the hire of former...
By LA School Report | September 11, 2013
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School Board Wants CA to Clarify Co-Location Rules
The School Board yesterday approved a motion by Steve Zimmer to ask state lawmakers to clarify the use of Proposition 39, a 2000 law mandating that public school space be shared equitably with charter schools. That law has lead to legal disputes between district schools and charters forced to share campuses as well as a...
By Hillel Aron | September 11, 2013
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LAT Editorial: Full-Time Pay for Full-Time Board Jobs
Via the Los Angeles Times Running the schools was a lot simpler before there were federal standards and accountability tests and a commitment to closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged students. Back then, the Los Angeles Unified school board oversaw the district in much the same way as, say, the Police Commission now oversees the Police Department....
By LA School Report | September 11, 2013
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State Senate Approves Eliminating Testing for 2012-13
The California Senate today approved an Assembly bill that suspends statewide testing while students acclimate to the new computer-based Common Core curriculum. The legislation now heads back to the Assembly for a final vote before it reaches Governor Jerry Brown for his signature. Sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and authored by...
By LA School Report | September 10, 2013
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Common Core Budget Approval Put Off for Another Week
The LA Unified school board voted, again, to delay its final decision on crafting and approving the $113 million Common Core budget for at least another week. The money comes from the state and is intended to help school districts transition over the next two years to the new curriculum. It appeared to be a...
By Hillel Aron | September 10, 2013
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School Board Approves New Application for Race to the Top
The LAUSD Board of Education today unanimously and without discussion approved the district’s application for a $30 million Race to the Top application. The board approved an application last year only for the submission to be rejected by the federal Department of Education, in part, because the teachers union refused to sign off on it....
By Hillel Aron | September 10, 2013