California Democrats Blast Efforts to Overhaul Schools California Democrats on Sunday condemned efforts led by members of their own party to overhaul the nation’s schools, arguing that groups such as StudentsFirst and Democrats for Education Reform are fronts for Republicans and corporate interests. LA Times L.A. School Reform Effort Draws Diverse Group of Wealthy Donors...

The California Teachers Pension Fund (CalSTRS), the largest fund of its kind in the United States, is facing a $70 billion budget crisis, and there are growing concerns that Prop 30 money could be diverted from local schools and into the pension system. A Huffington Post article on Wednesday pointed to a recent report from...

California’s Two Largest Teachers Unions File to Become Defendants on Vergara v. California Lawyers for California’s two largest teachers unions filed a motion in L.A. County Superior Court on Wednesday to intervene as defendants in a lawsuit that would radically alter tenure for public school teachers. KPCC Report: Cheating on Standardized Tests in 75 Percent...

National School Board Group Seeks Curbs on U.S. Ed Secretary The National School Boards Association and its 90,000 members are sponsoring legislation aimed at curbing the authority of the U.S. Secretary of Education – an outgrowth likely stemming from the group’s chilly relationship with the Obama administration during the president’s first term. SI&A Cabinet Report...

LAUSD Teachers Set to Vote on Confidence in District, Union Policies Los Angeles Unified’s 40,000 teachers will be polled next month on their confidence in Superintendent John Deasy and whether they want their union to ratchet up demands for higher pay, smaller classes and an end to many of the district’s reforms. LA Daily News...

Incubator School in L.A. Sparks Discord Over Location, Teachers The pilot middle school, which is slated to open next year but lacks a site, will teach students how to launch a business in addition to academics. LA Times Sun Valley’s Francis Polytechnic High to Convert to Innovative Pilot School Francis Polytechnic High in Sun Valley...

Outside spending in LAUSD race tops $2 Million Outside spending for the Los Angeles Unified school board campaign has soared past $2 million – including $1 million in the contentious District 4 race that has shaped up as a pitched battle between reform and union interests. LA Daily News See also: LA School Report Huge...

Los Angeles Unified School District Approves Historic Parent Trigger, L.A. Mayoral Candidates Weigh in or Stay Mum Garcetti and Greuel have been hesitant to say exactly where they stand on the Parent Trigger issue, even though it has been supported by such Democratic political stars as Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Newark Mayor Corey Booker....

LAUSD School Board to Consider Laying Off Nearly 200 The Los Angeles Unified School Board will take up whether to lay off 194 staff in the 2013-14 school year. KPCC See also: FOX LA, KTLA, LA School Report L.A. Unified Aviation Training Center Gets $100,000 Donation The mechanics vocational school had been facing closure or...