L.A. School Reform Effort Draws Diverse Group of Wealthy Donors
Republicans, liberals, Hollywood notables and global corporate executives are among those who gave to the Coalition for School Reform. LA Times

LAUSD Chief John Deasy Draws Fire as He Pursues Aggressive Reform Plan
The reforms that Deasy enacted – and just how aggressively he’s pursued them – have put the fast-talking New Englander at the center of a heated debate over the future of the nation’s second-largest school district. LA Daily News

Interest in Teaching Continues to Drop in California
Interest in teaching is steadily dropping in California, with the number of educators earning a teaching credential dipping by 12% last year — marking the eighth straight annual decline. LA Times
See also: EdSource

A To-Do List for L.A.’s Next Mayor
I want the next mayor to be an education mayor, but not by simply operating his or her own network of schools. I’d like the mayor to create an Office of City Schools to provide a one-stop informational shop for families. LA Times Opinion (Gloria Romero)

Villaraigosa’s Legacy
Throughout Villaraigosa’s tenure, there has consistently been a sense that he has fallen short of his potential and delivered less than he promised. LA Times (Jim Newton)

Race for Campaign Cash; Mayor’s Race Exceed $10 Million
In the Los Angeles Unified School District board campaigns, the primary race for the District 6 seat had generated more than $1.2 million in donations, but in the runoff, contributions are off to a slow start. LA Daily News

As Nation’s Schools Get More Diverse, Instruction of Students Learning English Remains Bleak
Of all the challenges facing minority students and their schools, English learners are arguably the most disadvantaged. It’s hard to find enough teachers who are qualified to instruct them, and there’s little consistency in the programs used to educate them. AP

Growing Charter Network Under SBE Draws Interest From Lawmakers
A sharp increase in the number of charter schools petitioning – and receiving – permission to open from the California State Board of Education has attracted the attention of the Legislature. SI&A Cabinet Report

California Pension Fund to Divest From Gunmakers
California’s pension fund for teachers made official on Friday its plan to divest holdings in firearms companies whose weapons are illegal in the state. Reuters

Robot Experiment Coming to Los Angeles Classrooms
A dragon-like robot will soon grace the classrooms of one Los Angeles elementary school in hopes of helping first-graders adopt healthier eating habits. KPCC

California High Schools Are Sick of the Coachella Cut Day ‘Mess’
In L.A., administrators and teachers at some of the top schools that have struggled to contend with the empty classrooms of Coachella Fridays are finally learning how to deal with absence in the age of the music festival. Atlantic

LAUSD Manager Scot Graham Suing District Regarding Alleged Harassment
A Los Angeles Unified School District manager is suing his employer, alleging the district failed to prevent former Superintendent Ramon Cortines from sexually harassing him. Scot Graham’s lawsuit was filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court. LA Daily News

New Program Creates ‘Education Champions’ for Every Foster Child
California is on the leading edge of an innovative effort to give foster children a fighting chance in school.  A new national initiative to provide a trained adult to act as an education advocate for every foster child in the nation was recently launched in Santa Cruz County, which is piloting the program in California. EdSource

The National Rifle Association and some San Diego officials have touted the preventative benefits of guns in schools in recent weeks.

But in a Daily Beast article published today, former LAUSD students go on the record to express their disapproval of placing armed guards in schools.  And, according to an article published in Mother Jones yesterday, data show that armed teachers or security guards don’t actually deter mass shooters.

California Voters Split on Jerry Brown School Plans
Fifty percent agree with the governor’s proposal to give more funds to school districts that serve low-income children. A separate Brown plan to give local districts more funding control is favored by 59%. LA Times

LAUSD Salvages Summer School, but Classes Will Be Limited
Despite fears that Los Angeles Unified would have to cancel summer school this year, officials say they’ll be able to hold a limited number of credit-recovery classes at 16 high school campuses across the sprawling district. LA Daily News

State Educators Support LAUSD Waiver From No Child Left Behind Law
State education officials support efforts by Los Angeles Unified and eight other school districts to get a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law, but remain concerned about who would monitor a new accountability system. LA Daily News
See also: EdSource

The Downside of Superstar Schools
It’s no surprise that parents go to great lengths to get their children into the coveted classrooms. But other campuses suffer a loss from such lopsided enthusiasm. LA Times Commentary

Teacher-Prep Programs Zero In on Effective ‘Practice’
The Match Teacher Residency is one of a small number of teacher-preparation programs focusing on what’s coming to be called “practice-based” teacher education. The approach is growing in popularity among charter groups and beginning to emerge in university-based programs as well. EdWeek

Paralympian John Siciliano Coaches North Hollywood Students
Paralympian John Siciliano’s face lit up as he gave Fitnessgram certificates to two fifth grade classes at Julie Korenstein Elementary School on Friday. LA Daily News

State Must Fix Liabilities That Loom at CalSTRS
If corrective action is not taken – that is, if the state, school districts or teachers don’t contribute more into the fund – CalSTRS could deplete all its assets by 2044. Sac Bee Editorial

Connection to Education Research Elusive for States
State education officials are open to using research to shape policy and practice decisions, but they say that it remains difficult to make practical use of most studies. EdWeek

LAO Suggests Curtailing Accreditation of Teacher Prep Programs by CTC
A policy paper from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst released late last week suggests lawmakers consider curtailing the accreditation of teacher training programs by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. SI&A Cabinet Report

Same-Sex-Marriage Cases Hold Implications for Schools
Among the scores of briefs filed on different sides of the cases are several that address same-sex marriage and the schools. The issues include schools’ treatment of same-sex parents and their children, the impact of the debate on gay students and on those who object to same-sex marriage on religious grounds, and the influence of the trend on the curriculum. EdWeek
See also: KPCC

Sun Valley’s Francis Polytechnic High to Convert to Innovative Pilot School
Francis Polytechnic High in Sun Valley will become the first LAUSD campus to convert to a pilot school, which offers greater freedom in scheduling and instruction but also requires teachers to commit annually to the reforms taking place. LA Daily News

LAUSD Teams up With Other Districts to Serve Cheaper, Healthier Lunches
The Los Angeles Unified School District has teamed up with five other large school districts to save money and serve a higher quality menu to students. CBS LA

California Teacher Fund Needs $4.5 Billion Yearly Boost
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System’s $73 billion unfunded liability may be the state’s “most difficult fiscal challenge” and lawmakers should increase funding for the second-largest U.S. pension, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said. Bloomberg
See also: AP

LAUSD Preschools to Get $7 Million in Security Upgrades
More than six dozen Los Angeles Unified preschools will get safety upgrades, including security gates equipped with video cameras, under a $7 million plan approved Tuesday by the school board. LA Daily News

More States Consider ‘Parent Trigger’ Laws
So far, outside of California, no school has been the subject of a parent-trigger petition in any state. (In California, a bill is under consideration to expand the number of schools eligible for the parent trigger.) EdWeek

New Teacher Assessment: Much Promise, Many Questions
Even if you follow education issues closely, you may have missed the rapid rise of this new assessment to evaluate prospective teachers. EdSource Commentary

New California Public School Reading List Includes LGBT-Friendly Books
The California Department of Education this week released its latest list of recommended reading for K-12 students, including some newly published works that address immigration and sexual identity issues. LA Daily News

Ed Committee Backs Crackdown on Interest-Deferred Bonds
Despite opposition from several education organizations, the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday voted 6-0 for a bill that would severely restrict school districts’ ability to float construction bonds that would saddle future taxpayers with huge balloon payments. EdSource

CTC to Survey New Teacher Prep Grads for Data on System Improvements
Concerned that too many of California’s teacher preparation programs don’t measure up to the state’s high standards, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is set to undertake a data collection program aimed at pin-pointing strengths and weaknesses of specific institutions. SI&A Cabinet Report

California School Districts Send out Far Fewer Pink Slips
Thanks to a boost in money for public education, California school districts have issued just 3,000 pink slips to teachers this year, a dramatic drop from the 20,000 sent out last year, the California Teachers Assn. reported Monday. LA Times

School District Discriminated Against Gay Students, ACLU Alleges
In a letter from the ACLU, the Hesperia Unified School District is accused of discriminating against gay and lesbian students, including refusing to allow girls to wear tuxedos to the prom. LA Times
See also: AP

Lockyer Seeks Legal Opinion on School Construction Bond Campaigns
California Treasurer Bill Lockyer sought a legal opinion Monday to determine if some local education officials and the municipal finance firms they employ are violating state law by campaigning to get school construction bonds passed. LA Times

Highland Park School Wins $110K in National Educational Contest
A Highland Park high school is $110,000 richer after two students beat 1,600 other schools to win a national educational contest. CBS LA

Failure to Protect Kids Costs Millions
Los Angeles Unified School District, the state’s largest district and largest recipient of the Proposition 30 tax increases, figures to be writing a big check soon. Unfortunately, this check won’t be going to support math, reading or arts programs. OC Register Column by Gloria Romero

CDE, Torlakson Lead Effort to Forge Ahead on Common Core Despite Challenges
There’s no shortage of skeptics when it comes to the plan to begin testing students in the new common core curriculum standards beginning in the spring of 2015. SI&A Cabinet Report

Committee Wrestles With Incorporating Graduation Rate Into API
As part of a push to measure how well a school is educating its students based on more than just test scores, California for the first time is planning to factor graduation rates into the state’s main measure of a school’s academic achievement. EdSource

Police Union Backs Nury Martinez for LA City Council
The union that represents officers with the Los Angeles Police Department endorsed a school board member for an open L.A. City Council seat in the San Fernando Valley Monday. KPCC

This decision came as a relief to hundreds of teachers in LA, including the 300 Teach for America (TFA) teachers currently in LAUSD classrooms.

“We’re cautiously optimistic about the rule-making process moving forward in a way that allows TFA to thrive and serve kids, and to improve the overall the profession of teaching,” said Teach for America’s Vice President, Shannon Blankenship.

But they’re not out of the woods yet. The CTC’s final recommendations on alternative certifications could have a big impact on Los Angeles schools.

The effectiveness and legality of alternative certification teachers have been debated in the courts and the US Congress on and off since 2002, when the Bush Administration determined that they were considered “highly qualified.” (For a history of the debate, read this recent history by LA School Report editor Alexander Russo.)

The majority of Teach for America’s teachers receive their credentials through intern credentialing programs, so the CTC’s decision could have blocked many TFA teachers from teaching.

Concerns about the decision the CTC might make were heightened because its head, Stanford University education professor Linda Darling-Hammond, is one of the most consistent critics of alternative certification programs like TFA.

In the weeks leading up to the Thursday meeting, LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy signed onto a letter opposing restrictions on the use of intern teachers. The California Federation of teachers and some civil rights groups signed a letter urging the CTC to end the practice. A Thursday LA Times editorial came out against eliminating the alternative credential option.

TFA alum Rigel Massaro

One of those who testified against allowing alternative certification candidates to teach ELLs was a TFA alumna Rigel Massaro (pictured, courtesy EdSource Today).

Previous posts: Where the TFAers Are; LAUSD Leadership Shares Stage with Big-Money Donors; Study: Test Scores Help ID Good Teachers

L.A. Votes: Greuel Fights Back 
With the clock ticking down to election day, the Los Angeles mayor’s race is getting testy. LA Times

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy Seeks No Child Left Behind Waivers
With California unable to get a waiver from the No Child Left Behind law, LAUSD and nine other districts have launched an effort to create their own data-based accountability systems — and have more freedom in how to spend tens of millions in federal dollars. LA Daily News

More Students Taking and Passing Advanced Placement Exams
More students in the Los Angeles Unified School District took and passed an Advanced Placement exam last year, reflecting a rise in success on the college-level tests in California and nationwide. LA Times
See also LADN

L.A. Unified Set for Funding Boost Under New State Formula
After five years of crippling budget cuts, the Los Angeles Unified School District would receive an estimated $820 more per student over the next two years under Gov. Jerry  Brown’s proposed new funding formula. LA Times

In California, Thousands of Teachers Missing Needed Credentials
The last time Charlie Parker took a social studies class, he was a teenager with an Afro and Jimmy Carter was president of the United States. Yet here he was, standing at the front of a classroom, trying to teach dozens of high schoolers subjects that never appealed to him when he learned them more than 30 years ago. CA Watch

State Releases District Breakdowns Under School Funding Formula
Districts and charter schools now know how they’d make out under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed Local Control Funding Formula, his plan for sweeping school finance reform. EdSource

Thousands of Children Could Lose Head Start Services Under Sequestration
Just one week after promising to inject funds into early childhood education in his State of the Union address, President Obama is warning that the Head Start program will instead face cuts if lawmakers fail to reach a compromise over the budget. KPCC

Why Educators’ Wages Must Be Revamped Now
Some districts are spending more than they need to spend, based on what other districts show is possible. But does this excess spending imply that we can simply cut back on spending without harming students? EdWeek Commentary

Glendale Unified, Police Settle Suit Over Racial Profiling
The ACLU of Southern California announced Wednesday that it had reached settlements with the city of Glendale and the Glendale Unified School District on behalf of eight Latino students who alleged that officials engaged in racial profiling and illegal searches during a 2010 incident at Hoover High School. LA Times

Districts Must Return to 180-Day Instructional Year by 2015-16
Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature agree: The state should again require a minimum 180-day school year, starting in 2015-16. EdSource

LAUSD Hired Other Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse, Despite Warnings
Turns out, Joseph Piña is not the only Archdiocese employee with a questionable past and a link to L.A.’s schools. KCET
See also: LA Times

Call for Digital Textbooks Back Before the Legislature
Lawmakers appear poised to test Gov. Jerry Brown’s new commitment to online learning with legislation that would require textbook publishers to make available a digital version of the content material. SI&A Cabinet Report

Small Study Says Gender Stereotypes May Still Play Role in Who Chooses to Teach
In a small study, university scholars found that gender stereotypes play a role when men discount going into teaching. Certainly that’s not the case in California, right? KPCC

Should Doctors and Teachers Protect Their Own?
I cannot support the idea that incompetent teachers should be able to keep their jobs any more than I believe that incompetent surgeons should be allowed to keep operating. Sac News & Review Commentary

Ex-Miramonte Teacher Could Face More Charges
Mark Berndt is already facing 23 counts of lewd conduct involving students. K-NBC LA

L.A.’s First Hebrew-Language Charter School Raises Questions
Lashon Academy is to teach modern Hebrew, have no religious component and aim for a diverse student body. But some worry that dual-language charters blur the line between public and private schools. LA Times

Teachers Union Is Backing Garcetti With Words, but No Money
The union that represents Los Angeles Unified School District teachers has weighed in on the city’s March 5 municipal election and backed Eric Garcetti for mayor. KPCC

School Turnarounds Prompt Community Backlash
The federal government’s push for drastic reforms at chronically low achieving schools has led to takeovers by charter operators, overhauls of staff and curriculum, and even school shutdowns across the country. AP

LAUSD Looking Into How Priest Accused of Molestation Was Hired
A former priest and suspected child molester who left the Los Angeles Archdiocese for L.A. Unified schools will no longer be employed by the district, Supt. John Deasy said. LA Times
See also: AP

LAUSD League Unites Students With, Without Disabilities
The Los Angeles Unified School District/Special Olympics Unified Basketball League aims to help students of all capabilities interact with one another. LA Times

Slower Population Growth Means Teacher Shortage Likely Averted
New population estimates released last week by the governor’s Department of Finance may give relief to planners worried about a potential teacher shortage, as a modest increase in school age children by 2020 was set to collide with mass retirements of educators in the coming decade. SI&A Cabinet Report

Performing Well at This Decathlon Is the Smart Thing to Do
High school students gather at the Roybal Learning Center for the last leg of L.A. Unified’s regional Academic Decathlon. This year’s theme: Russia. LA Times

States Soon to Weigh Science-Standards Adoption
California may well be an early adopter of the standards, which promote depth over breadth in science instruction and call on students to apply their learning through scientific inquiry and the engineering-design process to deepen understanding. EdWeek