LAUSD School Board Member Steve Zimmer’s recent commentary “Standing with Beatriz” hit the nail on the head on one key issue: for our children, the stakes are high. Let me acknowledge first that Mr. Zimmer is a good person who is doing what he feels is best for the children of LAUSD. On this issue,...

After more than 30 years, the West Valley may be closer to having four more schools. What kind of schools remains to be seen. Community members are invited tomorrow night to a meeting at Woodlake Elementary School to learn more about the the future of the elementary schools — Oso, Collins, Highlander and Platt Ranch...

Via Education Week | By Catherine Gewertz  Today’s post marks a turning point in our coverage of the common standards: the revision of our widely followed map of state adoptions. Indiana made us do it. As you probably already know, because my intrepid colleague Andrew Ujifusa reported it last week, Indiana has become the first...

In keeping with the start of the baseball season this week, let’s use a baseball analogy: Rachel Johnson has a Hall of Fame batting average in running for office. Since 2001 when she was first elected as the City Clerk of Gardena, Johnson has run four successful campaigns for elected office — a second term for...

A state ballot initiative aimed at regulations governing teachers that was headed for the November ballot has been pushed to 2016, according to a report by ABC affiliate KXTV in Sacramento. The measure was seeking to change the way California school districts lay off teachers by using a teacher’s classroom performance rating, rather than seniority....

The architects are huddled in an intense meeting. Problems have arisen: the supports for the tower appear insufficient, causing balance issues. Should they proceed with the plans they’ve envisioned or make modifications for a less ambitious approach? The leader is unequivocal: the vision will be executed. His team shrugs, then proceeds in accordance with the...

More than two months ago LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy took the stand as the first witness for the plaintiffs in Vergara v California, a lawsuit challenging teacher protections. He testified for three days, laying the foundation of their overall case. Now that the trial has ended, the head of the largest school district in...

The professional hackers were no match for North Hollywood High. The valley school won the Cyberpatriot National Championship over the weekend in National Harbor, MD, defending its precious digital real estate against experienced hackers to outlast a field of 621 teams. The championship, sponsored by the Air Force Association (AFA), is a cyber defense competition that test students’ abilities...

The California Teacher Corps, the statewide organization representing California’s alternative certification programs, today honored Allan Hallis with the 2014 Michael McKibbin Outstanding Educator of the Year Award during its fourth annual conference in Sacramento. “You work really hard in the profession, so it’s nice to have some of that hard work be recognized by colleagues...

Via The Orange County Register | By Lauren Williams A Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for teaching reforms listed Long Beach as the No. 2 district in the nation with the highest salary for beginning teachers. The National Council on Teacher Quality published a list of the districts with the highest paid starting and end-of-career...