-
‘Very much’ the same thing: LAUSD continues to struggle to stay afloat as it waits for new revenue, latest financial report shows
School board members have approved L.A. Unified’s latest budget, even though the district is still far from being financially sustainable. The revised fiscal stabilization plan lays out the district’s response to county concerns about deficit spending, inadequate reserve levels and reliance on non-guaranteed funds to keep itself afloat in coming years. But instead of providing...
By Taylor Swaak | March 20, 2019
-
Heather Repenning declares she’s made the runoff against Jackie Goldberg in race for LAUSD school board seat
*UPDATE: The county announced Thursday, March 21, that six more ballots have been counted in the race this week, and all went to Jackie Goldberg. There is still a 31-vote difference between Heather Repenning, who is in second place and thus eligible for the runoff election, and the closest competitor, Graciela Ortíz. The county will...
By Taylor Swaak | March 15, 2019
-
LAUSD’s BD5 race will go to a runoff — Repenning holds 35-vote lead over Ortíz for second place
*Updated March 15 The top three finishers in L.A. Unified’s Board District 5 election retained their positions after Tuesday’s vote count, though the race for second place narrowed to only 35 votes. A runoff election on May 14 is now certain, as Jackie Goldberg is 596 votes shy of a majority and there are fewer than...
By Taylor Swaak | March 8, 2019
-
Jackie Goldberg claims nearly half the votes in LAUSD’s primary election — but her opponent in a runoff remains too close to call
*Updated March 7 The Board District 5 special election in L.A. Unified is almost certainly headed to a runoff, with teachers union favorite Jackie Goldberg clinching just shy of half the votes while her future opponent remains undetermined. Goldberg, a former school board member and vocal charter critic, received 48.26 percent of the vote with...
By Taylor Swaak | March 6, 2019
-
How will this LAUSD school board election differ from District 5’s last race? Will January’s teacher strike boost turnout? Experts answer these questions, and more, about Tuesday’s vote
On Tuesday, L.A. Unified’s Board District 5 will hold a special election to fill a school board seat that’s been vacant since last year, potentially determining whether the board swings more pro-reform or more pro-union. The board district’s students — who are nearly 90 percent Latino — haven’t had a representative since last July, when education reformer...
By Taylor Swaak | March 4, 2019
-
LAUSD special election guide: Who’s on the ballot, and why Tuesday’s primary matters
*Updated March 4 Tuesday is the special election to fill the school board seat in L.A. Unified’s Board District 5. The person elected will become part of the seven-member school board that decides on policies, budget and approval of charter schools in L.A. Unified, which is the largest school district in California and second-largest in...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | March 1, 2019
-
Latinos are the vast majority in LAUSD’s Board District 5. But they likely won’t be the ones who elect their next school board member. Here’s why.
Latinos make up almost 90 percent of enrollment in L.A. Unified’s Board District 5, which has some of the district’s neediest students and the state’s lowest-performing schools. But they most likely won’t be the ones electing their next representative to the school board. Next week’s special election for the vacant school board seat is expected to...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | February 27, 2019
-
New survey shows big differences in how English- and Spanish-speakers view their schools in LAUSD’s Board District 5
Parents whose children attend L.A. Unified schools in Board District 5, where voters will go to the polls next week to choose a new board member, hold widely varying views of their schools depending on the language they speak at home, according to a new survey. Nearly half of all Spanish-speaking respondents said their child’s...
By Laura Greanias | February 26, 2019
-
More money, more charter school scrutiny: Here’s what Jackie Goldberg wants to bring to LAUSD in her bid to rejoin the school board after nearly 30 years
*Updated Feb. 26 For public education firebrand Jackie Goldberg, next Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacant seat in L.A. Unified’s Board District 5 is a chance to block a pro-charter majority on the school board — and not just through 2020. Goldberg, who served on the school board from 1983 to 1991, told LA...
By Taylor Swaak | February 25, 2019
-
At two forums for LAUSD board candidates, students focus on college preparation, while parents want high-quality teachers and safe schools
*Updated Feb. 19 Parents, students and community members were able to question the candidates running for L.A. Unified school board in District 5 at two separate forums last week, one led by parents and the second by students. High school students wanted their new representative to make sure they are better prepared for college, while...
By Esmeralda Fabián Romero | February 19, 2019