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1 in 4 students report being bullied, and experiences can vary by gender identity, national survey of 180,000 students finds

A national survey shows that 1 in 4 students experienced bullying, and those who identify as something other than male or female are bullied at slightly higher rates. The YouthTruth Student Survey, released Tuesday by the San Francisco-based education nonprofit, found that more than 48,000 students — or 25 percent — surveyed in 34 states said...
By Mike Szymanski | September 26, 2017
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How much do you know about bilingual education? Truths and misconceptions from the experts

Bilingual education is making a comeback in California, and one reason is research that proved its benefits, Latino education experts say. At a recent conference of Spanish-language journalists from across the country, panelists including a UCLA researcher laid out how far bilingual education has come over the last two decades. During a panel discussion on...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | September 25, 2017
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Commentary: What boys need in the classroom — a few good men

It’s only the second month of school and Ernesto has already cussed me out several times. He learned to protect himself in the school of hard knocks, where daily lessons involve neglect, abuse, and distrust from the adults in his life. His father left him when he was young, and his mother worked multiple jobs...
By Josh Brown | September 25, 2017
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Exclusive: Mónica García is likely pick for next school board president

Mónica García — a staunch education reformer and a favorite of the district’s Latino majority — will likely become LA Unified’s new school board president next Tuesday. She has served as president twice before, for a total of six years, and she is already the longest-serving school board president in district history. The District 2...
By Mike Szymanski | September 22, 2017
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Q&A with Alexis Morin on Students for Education Reform, youth power, and achieving educational justice

Four years ago, a group of college students from across Los Angeles gathered in a coffee shop to share stories. Some of them were difficult to hear: what it felt like to take remedial classes, to be talked down to by a professor, to be the first person in their neighborhood or family to attend...
By Kate Stringer | September 22, 2017
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JUST IN: Ref Rodriguez resigns as LAUSD school board president after felony charges

Ref Rodriguez announced Tuesday he has resigned from his position as LA Unified school board president after the district attorney charged him last week with three felonies related to an alleged money laundering scheme in his bid for the school board. Rodriguez posted a statement on his Twitter and Facebook pages at the beginning of a...
By Sarah Favot and Mike Szymanski | September 19, 2017
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Local control trumps sleepy teens: California’s late-start bill couldn’t overcome opposition but may return next year

A bill that would allow middle and high schoolers to sleep in later failed to gain legislative support and will be reconsidered next year. The bill, SB 328 — a statewide prohibition against starting school before 8:30 a.m. for public middle and high schools — won only 26 of the 41 votes it needed in...
By Sarah Favot | September 18, 2017
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Good news on chronic absences and the budget, despite a ‘structural deficit’ — a wrap-up of board action

This Tuesday, the school board will meet in a non-voting session, called the Committee of the Whole. It will be the first meeting of the board since last week’s revelations of felony charges against school board President Ref Rodriguez. That news came just after last Tuesday’s board meeting, the second that Rodriguez presided over as...
By Mike Szymanski | September 18, 2017
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Commentary: Board member George McKenna’s challenge to adopt higher standards for all schools

George McKenna is known for waxing eloquently during the school board meetings, and at the meeting on Sept. 12, he wrote down some of his thoughts. Part of the reason was because the new board President Ref Rodriguez is limiting statements to five minutes per topic by each of the board members, but part of it...
By Guest contributor | September 18, 2017
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Exclusive: Ben Austin launches Kids Coalition to give LA students a legal right to a high-quality education

The man who helped craft the state’s parent trigger law and who founded Parent Revolution has launched a new organization that aims to put a kids-first agenda into practice and give LA Unified students and their parents legal rights in decisions about their education. The organization is called Kids Coalition and will be headed by...
By Sarah Favot | September 18, 2017