Filling the gap for unaccompanied children caught in judicial limbo LAUSD and districts like it have been singularly burdened with addressing the extensive needs of unaccompanied immigrant children. The Chronicle of Social Change, by Gabriel Fuentes Free prom dresses, shoes donated to homeless LAUSD girls, KABC Governor appoints 3 SoCal residents to CSU Board of Trustees, City News...

LAUSD plans a Common Core makeover for its elementary report cards The report card changes are being proposed as part of a plan to better help parents track how well students are mastering the expectations spelled out in new sets of academic standards. The new report cards significantly expand the section rating students’ academic performance....

Experts predict the opt-out movement will get some of what it wants With up to 80 percent of students refusing to take federally mandated tests, policymakers are reviewing the national opt-out movement. Hechinger Report How my time at a “failing” high school blew me away With the implementation of state standards, many public schools have wound...

L.A. Unified surveys prices others pay for digital devices The Los Angeles Unified School District is conducting a survey to determine what other districts pay for technology just as the Board of Education is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the next phase of a $1-billion program to provide computers to every student. LA Times  California...

L.A. Unified’s local food push is healthy for area economy too The savory smell of nutmeg and cinnamon wafts through the Azusa bakery, where dozens of workers in blue gloves and hairnets cook up L.A. Unified’s newest star product. The “Glorious Morning” muffin is chewy and moist, packed with whole wheat, raisins and carrots —...

LAUSD iPad program gets mixed review from committee An advisory panel overseeing Los Angeles Unified’s iPad project signed off Wednesday on a $45 million request to expand the technology program to 45 more schools, but it rejected plans to spend $90 million on tablets for every principal and teacher in the district and for students...

L.A. Unified can’t afford $1-billion budget wish list, official says L.A. Unified will need more than $1 billion to pay for additional teachers, a longer school year and other items favored by Board of Education members — but the chance of acquiring such funds is zero, the district’s financial chief said Tuesday. Board members had...

L.A. Unified President Pushes Board’s Authority to Set Policy The new president of the Los Angeles Unified school board is moving aggressively to reshape the panel’s operation and mission, including plans to improve communication, enhance collaboration and take a more decisive stance in setting district policy. Richard Vladovic of San Pedro will lay out his...

Superintendent Deasy Urges Staff to ‘Stay Calm’ in the Face of Change In his annual back-to-school address, Los Angeles schools superintendent John Deasy on Thursday sought to reassure teachers and principals as the nation’s second-largest school district undergoes major classroom changes in the coming year. Speaking to hundreds of administrators and members of the school...

A Compelling or Distracting NCLB Waiver? Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s approval of the CORE districts’ waiver from unattainable provisions of the No Child Left Behind law, exposed some old and some new internecine disputes in California education. EdSource State Begins Work Revising Teacher Preparation Based on Common Core The state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing has approved a...