When California’s first set of “Parent Trigger” schools in Adelanto Unified and LA Unified were taken over in 2013, the expectation was that a once failing school could turn innovative teaching and learning methods into academic improvement. Advocates of the controversial law argued that that an overhaul was required for progress. Short of parent testimonials, advocates...

* UPDATED Officials from LA Unified and Jefferson High School met for several hours today as they began to address the issues that have led to students at the school losing instruction time over scheduling problems. The meeting came in direct response to a ruling yesterday by a state judge that requires state and district...

Community groups supportive of Superintendent John Deasy have sent a second letter requesting a meeting with the LA Unified school board to discuss Deasy’s annual performance review. In a letter sent yesterday to board President Richard Vladovic, the groups chided him for being unresponsive to their concerns about the lack of transparency in the evaluation...

EdSource, a news organization that focuses on education policy, today released a detailed report that concludes better teacher preparation is vital to improved classroom achievement across California. The report, “Preparing World-Class Teachers: Essential Reforms of Teacher Preparation and Credentialing in California,” draws from research by other government agencies and groups, as well as from first-hand interviews...

* UPDATED A California superior court judge ordered the state to step in at LA Unified’s Jefferson High School and fix an array of scheduling problems that have left many students without proper classes and educational time since the school year began in August.  In his decision, Alameda Superior Court Judge George Hernandez, Jr. wrote that “the court finds that unless...

* UPDATED LA Unified today finally released a report that confirming that two charter schools, Magnolia Science Academy 6 and Magnolia Science Academy 7, were operating with insufficient funds and for years and have been financially mismanaged. The 78-page report, prepared by an outside firm for the district’s Office of the Inspector General, concludes that...

Will the fate of John Deasy, the beleaguered LA Unified school chief who evokes passion among both supporters and critics, come down to a school board vote at his performance review scheduled for later this month? We say unlikely. Here are the top 5 reasons why:   FOUR VOTES NEEDED (AND ITS PUBLIC) When the...

The LA Unified school board returns to another closed session on Oct. 14, with one of the agenda items “Employee Evaluation General Superintendent of Schools.” It’s the second time in two weeks such an item was listed for discussion, suggesting that the finish line for John Deasy as superintendent may now be in sight. What remains...

The nominating period for United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) House of Representatives is currently open and will last through Nov. 3. The House of Representatives is a 350 member body that meets eight times a year to debate policy and vote on motions. Any UTLA member in good standing can nominate themselves by filling out...

A ruling on whether the state needs to step in and straighten out the scheduling problems at LA Unified’s Jefferson High School is now awaiting a decision by a Superior Court judge in Alameda County. As part of Cruz v. California, a bigger case seeking the state to assure the quality of education for students from...