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Galatzan Hires New Chief of Staff, LA Daily News’ Barbara Jones
LA Unified board member Tamar Galatzan is bringing aboard a new chief of staff, and anyone familiar with how the nation’s second-largest school district works and doesn’t work has the new hire to thank. Barbara Jones is stepping away from a long and distinguished newspaper career, the last 26 years at the LA Daily News,...
By LA School Report | December 6, 2013
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LAUSD Losing Fewer Teachers For Second Straight Year
For the second year in a row, LA Unified is losing fewer teachers, and district projections indicate that the trend will continue through the current school year. Vivian Ekchian, the district’s Chief Human Resources Officer, told a committee meeting yesterday that the trend is largely due to more diligent work at the front end of...
By Vanessa Romo | November 20, 2013
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A Double Dose of iPads Today, at a Meeting and a Protest
As it turns out, there are two places today to learn about elements of LA Unified’s Common Core Technology Project. One is a committee meeting, planned for 5:30 p.m. at district headquarters. The other is a 5 o’clock union protest at Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences, where Tamar Galatzan is hosting a community meeting at...
By LA School Report | November 19, 2013
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Parents Ask LA Unified for Timely Sexual Assault Notification
Parents at Superior Street Elementary in Chatsworth last night pressed LA Unified officials to change district regulations so that the public is notified of sexual assaults on school campuses. At issue was a three-year-case that only came to light after the LA Times reported back in May that the district awarded damages of $1.4 million to...
By Chase Niesner | November 14, 2013
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Kayser Abstention Dooms Effort to Spread Out Title 1 Money*
LA Unified School board member Tamar Galatzan had hoped to sway her colleagues to change the way the district distributes Title 1 funds for low-income students. But her motion, co-sponsored by Monica Ratliff, failed to get majority support at yesterday’s board meeting. The vote was split, 3-3, with Galatzan, Ratliff and Steve Zimmer, all of...
By Vanessa Romo | November 13, 2013
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LA Unified Board to Address 2 Controversies — Vladovic, iPads*
Two issues that have the drawn LA Unified school board into unanticipated controversy move into the spotlight tomorrow when the board convenes its regular meeting for November. One is the public profile of Board President Richard Vladovic, as he awaits a consideration of a censure motion from Tamar Galatzan – the first motion of its...
By Vanessa Romo | November 11, 2013
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Lost in Resignation, Vladovic Faces a Censure Motion
Expectations of John Deasy‘s resignation as superintendent of LA Unified have shoved aside almost every other matter before the school board at its meeting tomorrow, including a detailed review of the iPad program, which has now been postponed. The board is taking up Deasy’s situation in a closed-door session, leaving only one item on the...
By Michael Janofsky | October 28, 2013
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Deasy Leaving LA Unified? Who Could be Surprised
News Analysis If John Deasy is resigning of his own accord or he is soon to be fired, his potential departure as superintendent of the LA Unified School District further undermines leadership of the city’s public education community at a time of massive change and uncertainty. Whether a victim of policies judged too aggressive by...
By Michael Janofsky | October 25, 2013
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LA Unified Board to Consider Return to Greater Title 1 Support
Not so long ago, students at Dahlia Heights Elementary School could receive tutoring during and after school. They enjoyed the services of a music teacher and a part-time librarian and could access free after-school enrichment and homework assistance. Teachers at the Eagle Rock school got $20,000 worth of professional development.. All those benefits came through...
By Constance Sommer | October 25, 2013
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Vladovic Censure Would be ‘Extremely Divisive Episode’*
An expert in school board governance says that a censure vote is rare and has the potential to fracture a board even beyond its existing rifts. Christopher Maricle, a policy program officer and governance consultant for the California School Board Association, says the effort to publicly condemn a school district president could be an extremely divisive...
By Vanessa Romo | October 21, 2013