L.A. Unified to Overhaul Struggling Crenshaw High Calling Crenshaw the worst in L.A. Unified, Supt. John Deasy gets the green light to turn the landmark campus into three magnet schools. LA Times See also: KPCC, KCAL, LA School Report 24th Street Elementary School the Target of New Parent Petition Parents at an underperforming Los Angeles...

While an avalanche of charter school approvals and renewals dominated today’s Board meeting, and two controversial resolutions were postponed, the Board did manage to approve a symbolic resolution in support of state lawmakers seeing to speed the removal of teachers accused of predatory sexual behavior, veto (and then approve) the creation of two more Aspire...

Deasy Warns Suspending Standardized Tests Would Hurt At-Risk Students Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy has fired off a letter to the California schools chief, protesting plans to suspend many standardized exams next year while the state develops a new system of computer-based tests. LA Daily News See also: LA Times Parents, Teachers, Students Oppose...

Even unusually cold temperatures couldn’t dissuade a group of more than 65 Crenshaw High School parents, faculty, staff and students who showed up to rally in front of the school Monday afternoon, many hoisting signs that read “Resources not Reconstitution.” In a controversial move scheduled for a vote at Tuesday’s Board meeting, LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy has...

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy praised the budget proposal California Gov. Jerry Brown released today, saying in a press release, “the changes announced today are quite positive for our students in the Los Angeles Unified School District.” In his proposal, Governor Brown would fund school districts based on the number of its students and the level...

Fraud Allegations Swirl Around Firm Run by Two LA Candidates Two would-be candidates for the Los Angeles school board have accused a campaign consulting firm — run by two contenders for city office — of botching their efforts to get on the ballot. LA Times Contested UTLA Panel Elections Signal Internal Fissures Some union members...

Former School Board candidate John Fernandez is among a handful of voices urging to teachers to vote against the tentative agreement struck between UTLA and LAUSD regarding teacher evaluations earlier this year. “The big problem is the district and the union have not figured out how much weight they will count for,” said Fernandez, who...

“In many states, perhaps all but I don’t know one way or the other, boards of education have to approve the receipt of all grants.  However, I am not aware of boards being required to approve grant applications,” says Donald McAdams, Center for Reform of School Systems (and 1990-2002 Houston school board member).  “If a superintendent was...

LAPD to Step up Presence at Elementary, Middle Schools Chief Charlie Beck sets a goal of having uniformed officers visit campuses every day, saying this was the ‘new reality’ the department must address. LA Times See also: KCET, KPCC, LAist Districts Face Questions in Spending Long-Term Bonds for Short-Lived Technology Last month, the Bond Oversight...

While union president Warren Fletcher has claimed victory on a recent court-ordered tentative agreement on teacher evaluations, a closer look might leave rank-and-file teachers scratching their heads. UTLA has consistently opposed any use of student test scores in teacher evaluations in the past. So it was unexpected when the union leadership signed off on using...