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• A Shorter School Year: Students at LA Unified this year will attend classes for only 175 days, 5 days fewer than last year, and 65 fewer than students in Japan. The decision was made by the school board due to budget constraints. Other districts chose to lay off more teachers. KPCC

• Miramonte Elementary Teachers Return for Strange First Day: Four TV news vans and 16 psychiatric social workers were at the Miramonte campus yesterday, site of last year’s horrifying sex scandal featuring Mark Berndt. LA Weekly

• LA Unified Wants Race to the Top’s last Brass Ring: Count Los Angeles Unified in the competition – if Superintendent John Deasy can persuade United Teachers Los Angeles President Warren Fletcher to sign the application (perhaps a big “if”). LAUSD would be eligible for the maximum $40 million grant. EdSource

• East LA Catholic School Remains Saved From Closure: The 97-year-old Our Lady of Lourde’s School was on the precipice, its enrollment down to just 35 students. A new principal, a “crafty marketing campaign,” and new education model based on technology brought it back to life. CBS

• Charters Get Exemptions From State Deferrals: More than 200 charter schools, as well as 33 struggling school districts, have been given exemptions from the $3.5 billion in state payment deferrals. SI&A Cabinet Report