Audit: textbook shortage, unqualified teachers at LA-area schools
The Associated Press
HAWTHORNE, Calif.—Auditors found textbook shortages, unqualified teachers and deteriorating campuses plaguing eight campuses in the Los Angeles and Centinela Valley school districts.
Hawthorne High School got especially bad marks because of dirty drinking fountains, rotting wood, a leaky roof, exposed wiring and pervasive bird droppings.
Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, also in the Centinela Valley district, was cited for broken cracked windows, doors that don't operate properly and a wobbly wall in one classroom.
Banning High, Westchester High and Meyler Street Elementary in the Los Angeles Unified School District were also in poor condition.
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Daily Breeze: LAUSD Enrollment Down 2%
DAILY BREEZE ARTICLE...
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10665001.html?showAll=y&c=y
LAUSD enrollment down 2%
This year's decline is attributed to fewer county births and students moving to charter campuses.By Paul ClintonStaff Writer
Los Angeles Unified's total student enrollment has continued its expected decline, dropping 2 percent from 708,461 students last year to 694,288 this year, according to figures released Thursday by the district.
Although the Harbor Area also saw declines, school board member Richard Vladovic said it wasn't as dramatic as he thought it would be.
"It's down 2 to 3 percent," Vladovic said. "We anticipated more."
About 41,000 of the students - or 6 percent of the population - are enrolled in fiscally independent charter schools.
Charter schools reduce enrollment at traditional LAUSD schools by about 1 percent per year.
District officials attribute the drop to a decline in births in Los Angeles County, which have decreased sharply since 1990 but have now stabilized.
The district saw a decline in each grade level, except for 11th and 12th grades.
Economic conditions like job availability and housing costs also contributed to the decline, officials said.
In Local District 8, Gardena High School reported the steepest decline, to 3,211 students from 3,428 a year ago. The school lost seven teachers and an assistant principal, officials said.
At Carson High School, enrollment dropped to 3,466 from 3,508, forcing Principal Ken Keener to cut two unfilled teaching positions.
The school also will lose an assistant principal, local administrator Myrna Brutti said.
About 100 additional students are attending Westchester High School this year (1,837 compared with 1,733 a year ago), which reversed a three-year decline.
The school has fallen from its peak of 2,369 in 2004-05, because fewer students filter in from other, more-crowded schools.
To boost attendance, Local District 3 administrators implemented an open-enrollment policy
that allows any student in the LAUSD attendance boundary to attend the school.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10665001.html?showAll=y&c=y
LAUSD enrollment down 2%
This year's decline is attributed to fewer county births and students moving to charter campuses.By Paul ClintonStaff Writer
Los Angeles Unified's total student enrollment has continued its expected decline, dropping 2 percent from 708,461 students last year to 694,288 this year, according to figures released Thursday by the district.
Although the Harbor Area also saw declines, school board member Richard Vladovic said it wasn't as dramatic as he thought it would be.
"It's down 2 to 3 percent," Vladovic said. "We anticipated more."
About 41,000 of the students - or 6 percent of the population - are enrolled in fiscally independent charter schools.
Charter schools reduce enrollment at traditional LAUSD schools by about 1 percent per year.
District officials attribute the drop to a decline in births in Los Angeles County, which have decreased sharply since 1990 but have now stabilized.
The district saw a decline in each grade level, except for 11th and 12th grades.
Economic conditions like job availability and housing costs also contributed to the decline, officials said.
In Local District 8, Gardena High School reported the steepest decline, to 3,211 students from 3,428 a year ago. The school lost seven teachers and an assistant principal, officials said.
At Carson High School, enrollment dropped to 3,466 from 3,508, forcing Principal Ken Keener to cut two unfilled teaching positions.
The school also will lose an assistant principal, local administrator Myrna Brutti said.
About 100 additional students are attending Westchester High School this year (1,837 compared with 1,733 a year ago), which reversed a three-year decline.
The school has fallen from its peak of 2,369 in 2004-05, because fewer students filter in from other, more-crowded schools.
To boost attendance, Local District 3 administrators implemented an open-enrollment policy
that allows any student in the LAUSD attendance boundary to attend the school.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Daily Breeze: LAUSD will get more bond money
DAILY BREEZE ARTICLE
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10569601.html
LAUSD will get more bond money
Measure by L.A. legislator changes formula to free funding.
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a measure designed to provide up to
$640 million to Los Angeles schools from a voter-approved bond.
The governor Sunday signed Assembly Bill 1014, authored by Assemblywoman Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, designed to fill a loophole in Proposition 1D, a school-construction measure approved last November as part of Schwarzenegger's package of bonds aimed at improving California's infrastructure.
A provision in the measure, however, would have placed severe limits on the ability of Los Angeles Unified - the largest school district in the state - from getting its fair share of the funds.
Bass' measure changed the formula for funding from looking at new-student growth to considering traditionally overcrowded school districts, such as LAUSD.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, school board President Monica Garcia and Superintendent
David Brewer III issued a joint statement praising the governor and Bass.
"With the stroke of the governor's pen, the children in Los Angeles' public schools will receive their fair share of statewide funding to help build the safe, clean and new schools they deserve," the statement read.
"Assembly Bill 1014 will help put an end to the decades-old struggle against overcrowding in our schools and send a message to the 200,000 kids in Los Angeles who go to school in temporary classrooms each day that we will no longer shortchange their education."
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10569601.html
LAUSD will get more bond money
Measure by L.A. legislator changes formula to free funding.
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a measure designed to provide up to
$640 million to Los Angeles schools from a voter-approved bond.
The governor Sunday signed Assembly Bill 1014, authored by Assemblywoman Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, designed to fill a loophole in Proposition 1D, a school-construction measure approved last November as part of Schwarzenegger's package of bonds aimed at improving California's infrastructure.
A provision in the measure, however, would have placed severe limits on the ability of Los Angeles Unified - the largest school district in the state - from getting its fair share of the funds.
Bass' measure changed the formula for funding from looking at new-student growth to considering traditionally overcrowded school districts, such as LAUSD.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, school board President Monica Garcia and Superintendent
David Brewer III issued a joint statement praising the governor and Bass.
"With the stroke of the governor's pen, the children in Los Angeles' public schools will receive their fair share of statewide funding to help build the safe, clean and new schools they deserve," the statement read.
"Assembly Bill 1014 will help put an end to the decades-old struggle against overcrowding in our schools and send a message to the 200,000 kids in Los Angeles who go to school in temporary classrooms each day that we will no longer shortchange their education."
Monday, October 15, 2007
Daily News: De facto LAUSD breakup
Daily News Article...
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_7178278
De facto LAUSD breakup
If it works, it doesn't matter what it's called
10/14/2007 05:13:51 PM PDT
LOS Angeles Unified School District Superintendent David Brewer's plan to create a separate district for low-performing schools and to target middle schools for reform is an acknowledgment that something drastic needs to be done to improve education.
Brewer says that this is a step toward improving the LAUSD by empowering this new mini-district of the 44 worst-performing schools to be more flexible and to have the autonomy to tailor solutions to meet the students' needs. In addition he will create "personalized learning environments" at all of the district's 92 middle schools, which he said have been long neglected.
It seems the de facto breakup of the country's second-largest school district, begun with the mayor's breaking up two school clusters, is accelerating.
No one, of course, would call it such. That word carries too much political baggage.
"It's our way to try to create more smallness out of largeness," one district official said.
Whatever. But it doesn't matter what words people use to describe this important decentralizing of the power of the LAUSD. All that matters is the principles of breakup - such as empowering schools, the principals and the communities to take charge of their schools and educational needs, and not cede them to the vast and often uncaring LAUSD bureaucracy.
When it comes to schools, smaller is always better. It's what district secessionists have been saying for years.
Still, what counts is that this carving out of special districts be more than just a public-relations stunt. There's a real danger of ghettoizing the special district full of low-performing schools once they've been removed from the rest of the district.
If this breaku- er, reform effort, has a chance of succeeding, it needs more than just a separation. It needs sustained commitment to the ideals of smaller, more autonomous and innovative schools.
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_7178278
De facto LAUSD breakup
If it works, it doesn't matter what it's called
10/14/2007 05:13:51 PM PDT
LOS Angeles Unified School District Superintendent David Brewer's plan to create a separate district for low-performing schools and to target middle schools for reform is an acknowledgment that something drastic needs to be done to improve education.
Brewer says that this is a step toward improving the LAUSD by empowering this new mini-district of the 44 worst-performing schools to be more flexible and to have the autonomy to tailor solutions to meet the students' needs. In addition he will create "personalized learning environments" at all of the district's 92 middle schools, which he said have been long neglected.
It seems the de facto breakup of the country's second-largest school district, begun with the mayor's breaking up two school clusters, is accelerating.
No one, of course, would call it such. That word carries too much political baggage.
"It's our way to try to create more smallness out of largeness," one district official said.
Whatever. But it doesn't matter what words people use to describe this important decentralizing of the power of the LAUSD. All that matters is the principles of breakup - such as empowering schools, the principals and the communities to take charge of their schools and educational needs, and not cede them to the vast and often uncaring LAUSD bureaucracy.
When it comes to schools, smaller is always better. It's what district secessionists have been saying for years.
Still, what counts is that this carving out of special districts be more than just a public-relations stunt. There's a real danger of ghettoizing the special district full of low-performing schools once they've been removed from the rest of the district.
If this breaku- er, reform effort, has a chance of succeeding, it needs more than just a separation. It needs sustained commitment to the ideals of smaller, more autonomous and innovative schools.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Daily Breeze: Best Way to Education Students?
Best way to educate students?
Amid debate over how to improve scores, Westchester High School switches to a college-styled schedule.
By Paul Clinton
Westchester High School welcomed students back from summer recess last week with an ambitious restructuring plan to raise achievement and improve the graduation rate at one of the area's lowest-performing high schools.
The Los Angeles Unified school, which has sunk to the bottom fifth in the state academically, moved forward with the reform effort over the objections of teachers and community members who have questioned the school's ability to execute the plan.
Another parent group that formed in the spring has taken a less skeptical approach by pledging volunteers to help in classrooms and offices.
Fresh for the 2007-08 school year, Westchester High School began using a college-inspired class schedule - four classes per quarter rather than six classes per semester - and clustered groups of its 2,400 students into four learning academies, a concept that has taken hold districtwide.
Carson High and San Pedro High have also embraced smaller schools this year to give students more attention so they aren't lost in the shuffle of a 3,500-student mega-campus. Narbonne High in Harbor City and Banning High School in Wilmington converted their schools a year ago.
To create the academies, high schools develop theme-oriented small schools with topics such as business, arts, media and health. The schools also spend district bond funds to divide the physical geography of the campus into zones with logos, signs and other visual branding.
"The most major change one can see at a school is the move into a contiguous space, which creates neighborhoods, personalized instruction and camaraderie," said Ellis Kauffman, a district facilities director. "We believe that this is what urban youth really need. They get lost if they are on a huge campus."
Westchester High finds itself at the heart of a heated debate about the best strategies to provide a higher-quality education to Los Angeles schoolchildren.
Read entire article here: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/9685277.html?showAll=y&c=y
Friday, September 7, 2007
Johnson's Response to The Argonaut Article posted Sept. 6th
Response to Gary Walker:
- THE HEADLINE: When articulated to me, the headline was "Westchester parents forge bond in efforts to improve schools." Which would have been absolutely accurate. However, the additional wording "....through autonomy from L.A. school district" is not at all accurate.
The assumption can not be made that, although our groups are NOT at war, that we share the exact same sentiments regarding reform. For the record, I am both in favor of and opposed to autonomy. Theoretically and conceptually, becoming autonomous seems to afford communities, schools, students and parents with a world of opportunity and freedom to provide 'excellent' educational opportunities - which is ABSOLUTELY wonderful; however, to date, 'autonomy' lacks structure. When the 'hard' questions are asked, teachers and parents are told that 'these areas are still being determined or figured out'.... (I am reminded of instances when track homes were being built on top of land fills and sink holes. The models looked 'beautiful' and 'wonderful'. Developers and marketers emphasized all the wonderful amenities and possibilities new home owners would be afforded by living in these 'new/innovative' communities. Then, weeks, months, even years later, the foundations began to crack, there were sewage issues, severe flooding during the rainy seasons, etc... )
My position as the leader of Parents Of Westchester With Orville Wright is NOT to 'persuade' or 'dissuade' parents. My sole responsibility is to insure parents are involved, informed and remain in a position to make their own informed, educated decisions.
So, in the very first paragraph of the article where it states, "two parental education advocates have joined forces to seek autonomy from Los Angeles Unified School District" is a false and misleading statement. Kelly and I agree that change needs to take place in order for our schools to improve - the jury is still out (from my perspective) as to whether autonomy is the ONLY solution.
- THE GROUP PICTURE contains, not Crissina Johnson of POWWOW, but Kelly Kane of WPEF and Kelly's group. Next to Kelly is Ms. Leslie Brag, the UTLA Chair for Westchester High. Leslie embraces both POWWOW and WPEF, yet is an official representative for UTLA.
- POWWOW DID NOT 'CONTRIBUTE' BOOKS - POWWOW parents distributed books according to William's vs. California. Our parents worked tirelessly this summer over the course of 3 weeks to insure textbooks were distributed to classrooms prior to the first day of school so students and teachers would be able to begin instruction from day one.
Gary, I would have loved to share my views with you regarding autonomy had you asked. Although the article hopefully laid to rest the rumors of discord between Kelly and I - it simply is inaccurate regarding my views on autonomy.
Have an amazing day and I do look forward to speaking with you soon.
Crissina D. Johnson
POWWOW Founder/Coordinator
POWWOW4Life@aol.com
http://www.powwow4life.com/
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Argonaut: Westchester Parents Forge Bond...
Westchester parents forge bond in efforts to improve schools through autonomy from L.A. school district
BY GARY WALKER
Read entire article here: http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2007/09/06/news_-_features/westchester/w1.txt
After a summer of intense discussions and heated debates about the need to improve the level of academic instruction for Westchester students, two parental education advocates have joined forces to seek autonomy from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Kelly Kane of the Westchester Playa-del Rey Education Foundation and Crissina Johnson of Parents of Westchester With Orville Wright, with the help of dedicated teachers, business leaders, local residents and Loyola Marymount University educators, are determined to create a new paradigm for educational success in Westchester through advocacy for autonomy from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Along the way, there have been a few stumbling blocks. Not all parents and teachers are certain that they want to see autonomy from the district in Westchester, although the majority of those who have spoken with The Argonaut have indicated that they would welcome some type of reform effort.
How and when educational reform arrives is still being debated, and the challenge of balancing the need for all interested parties — teachers, parents and district officials — have shown signs of improvement, but they are still a work in progress.
"The reform train is coming to Westchester," Kane declared in an interview this summer, "and everyone is welcome to ride along with it."
Adding to the sometimes contentious movement to bring education reform to Westchester schools are rumors that surfaced recently implying that there was tension between Johnson, who is black, and Kane, who is white.
"The idea is absurd," Kane responded when questioned about the rumors over friction between the two parent support organizations. "For anyone to use that as a way to slow down change in Westchester is unacceptable."
Johnson, whose three sons attended Westchester schools, also sought to quell the rumors, which were heard at a teacher conference earlier this summer.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Argonaut: Green Dot Public Charter School Founder...
Green Dot Public Charter School founder to speak at Neighborhood Council about education reform
by Gary Walker
Westchester academic reform advocates will have the opportunity to hear another alternative to improving their schools and increasing local control at 7 p.m Tuesday, August 28th, when Steven Barr, the founder and chief executive officer of Green Dot Public Charter Schools, is scheduled to speak before the Westchester Playa del Rey Neighborhood CouncilEducation Committee.
Green Dot bills itself as "the only organization with a proven track record of successfully serving secondary students, the highest-need student population of Los Angeles."
In May, the charter school company became embroiled in a highly publicized clash with the Los Angeles Unified School District board over its entry into Locke High School in South Los Angeles, which had been underperforming for years. Green Dot hopes to set up ten smaller reform-oriented schools at Locke by next fall.
The move was heralded by many teachers and parents at the high school, who are desperate for a new method that will increase their children's chances of improved graduation rates and improved academic performance.
Locally, parental education advocates, including the Westchester-Playa del Rey Education Foundation, have also been lobbying with community groups to change the way that children are being taught in Westchester schools. While the elementary schools have performed quite well, Orville Wright Middle School and Westchester High in recent years have not.
"It's another option to consider," said Kelly Kane, the education foundation's president, who has been at the forefront of the push for autonomy at Westchester schools. "We're not saying that [Green Dot] is necessarily the kind of reform that we want, but we all recognize that there needs to be a change in the way that the district has been functioning, and [the district] has been very close-minded about changing its ways."
Barr, in a recent interview, stated that the purpose of his discussion at the Westchester council meeting will not be to advocate for his charter school, and he says Green Dot enters schools that are willing to work with them.
"We only go where we're wanted," he said.
He said that both Kane's organization and the Westchester Neighborhood Council invited him to address the education committee. "I think that they are getting restless, and they want to hear another approach," Barr surmised.
On another front, Los Angeles Unified School District teachers have selected a charter-like reform model that they believe will fit their goals of having more localized control while maintaining teacher benefits.
The new model "encompasses the entire [union] contract," said A.J. Duffy, the president of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA).
While Green Dot teachers are union educators, teachers at Locke, for example, would need to re-apply for their jobs to principals hired by the charter school. The current UTLA contract would become invalid.
Read entire story here: http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2007/08/23/news_-_features/westchester/w1.txt
by Gary Walker
Westchester academic reform advocates will have the opportunity to hear another alternative to improving their schools and increasing local control at 7 p.m Tuesday, August 28th, when Steven Barr, the founder and chief executive officer of Green Dot Public Charter Schools, is scheduled to speak before the Westchester Playa del Rey Neighborhood CouncilEducation Committee.
Green Dot bills itself as "the only organization with a proven track record of successfully serving secondary students, the highest-need student population of Los Angeles."
In May, the charter school company became embroiled in a highly publicized clash with the Los Angeles Unified School District board over its entry into Locke High School in South Los Angeles, which had been underperforming for years. Green Dot hopes to set up ten smaller reform-oriented schools at Locke by next fall.
The move was heralded by many teachers and parents at the high school, who are desperate for a new method that will increase their children's chances of improved graduation rates and improved academic performance.
Locally, parental education advocates, including the Westchester-Playa del Rey Education Foundation, have also been lobbying with community groups to change the way that children are being taught in Westchester schools. While the elementary schools have performed quite well, Orville Wright Middle School and Westchester High in recent years have not.
"It's another option to consider," said Kelly Kane, the education foundation's president, who has been at the forefront of the push for autonomy at Westchester schools. "We're not saying that [Green Dot] is necessarily the kind of reform that we want, but we all recognize that there needs to be a change in the way that the district has been functioning, and [the district] has been very close-minded about changing its ways."
Barr, in a recent interview, stated that the purpose of his discussion at the Westchester council meeting will not be to advocate for his charter school, and he says Green Dot enters schools that are willing to work with them.
"We only go where we're wanted," he said.
He said that both Kane's organization and the Westchester Neighborhood Council invited him to address the education committee. "I think that they are getting restless, and they want to hear another approach," Barr surmised.
On another front, Los Angeles Unified School District teachers have selected a charter-like reform model that they believe will fit their goals of having more localized control while maintaining teacher benefits.
The new model "encompasses the entire [union] contract," said A.J. Duffy, the president of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA).
While Green Dot teachers are union educators, teachers at Locke, for example, would need to re-apply for their jobs to principals hired by the charter school. The current UTLA contract would become invalid.
Read entire story here: http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2007/08/23/news_-_features/westchester/w1.txt
Monday, July 2, 2007
LA Times: Mayor gets closer to deal on a role in schools
We (Westchester and Orville Wright) along with a few elementary schools are that "cluster of schools" the Mayor alludes to in the article below. Read and become informed and most important, BECOME ACTIVE!
Villaraigosa hopes new board majority will be open to alliance, but details are under wraps.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and top officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District expect to announce a new alliance this month that would give the mayor a role in running a cluster of campuses, most likely around Roosevelt High School.
The emerging partnership between these onetime adversaries comes as a new school board majority allied with Villaraigosa takes office today. At least four of the seven school board members, who were elected with the mayor's backing, are sympathetic to his desire to have an instrumental role in the schools.
But some key obstacles could still thwart the mayor's ambitions: He must win the approval of teachers and community leaders who want a say in the oversight of their schools and who feel betrayed in some cases by what they believe have been broken promises of reform in the past.
The president of United Teachers Los Angeles, for example, said any discussion about changing the union's contract to clear the way for a partnership would be premature until teachers are guaranteed a prominent voice.
Read the entire article here ==> http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-cluster3jul03,1,4541953.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california
Villaraigosa hopes new board majority will be open to alliance, but details are under wraps.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and top officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District expect to announce a new alliance this month that would give the mayor a role in running a cluster of campuses, most likely around Roosevelt High School.
The emerging partnership between these onetime adversaries comes as a new school board majority allied with Villaraigosa takes office today. At least four of the seven school board members, who were elected with the mayor's backing, are sympathetic to his desire to have an instrumental role in the schools.
But some key obstacles could still thwart the mayor's ambitions: He must win the approval of teachers and community leaders who want a say in the oversight of their schools and who feel betrayed in some cases by what they believe have been broken promises of reform in the past.
The president of United Teachers Los Angeles, for example, said any discussion about changing the union's contract to clear the way for a partnership would be premature until teachers are guaranteed a prominent voice.
Read the entire article here ==> http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-cluster3jul03,1,4541953.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california
Friday, June 15, 2007
LA Times: Brewer offers his vision for Los Angeles Schools
Brewer offers his vision for L.A. schools
In a meeting with The Times' editorial board, the schools chief says superintendents need at least six years to see their reforms implemented.
By Howard Blume and Joel Rubin, Times Staff Writers
June 15, 2007
After giving his first State of the Schools address Thursday, Los Angeles schools Supt. David L. Brewer, a retired Navy vice admiral, answered questions from the L.A. Times editorial board. Here are excerpts from the questions and his responses.
The Times: What do you do about schools that have been failing for years and lack the capacity to improve?
Brewer: I'm going to have the right to tell some people to innovate.
We need to be pushing support down to what I call the level of execution. We learned this in the military years ago. The reason we win wars is because that sergeant and that petty officer can make decisions. We are pushing $11 million from headquarters to the local district superintendents and several people down from headquarters.
The Times: Would you reconstitute any schools, that is, close them down and rebuild them with new leadership and staff under the authority of the federal No Child Left Behind law?
Brewer: To the extent that we can do that. But there are some union rules there.
I will be very frank with you. I'll have to do a little bit more research on that. I asked the question: Why can't I just shut it down and then reopen it?
I was told … [the] local union contract trumps federal law.
The Times: What's an example of something you'd like to see more research on?
Brewer: We're having a tremendous problem with young men, especially African American males and Latino males. We had two principals go out and put in all-male academies at their schools — Jordan High School and King-Drew.
The preliminary results look very good, [but] we need to go in and do research on single-gender classes. Not only for boys but for girls. Now some of that research is already out there: That says if you put girls in classes alone, they tend to do better in math and science.
If you put [boys] in classes together, as we've seen in Jordan and King-Drew, you get a reduction in discipline problems and you get the kind of results you see at Jordan, where 99% of those boys in the 11th grade have already passed the high school exit exam. The overall district average is 88%. So that's encouraging.
The Times: What is your view on charter schools?
Brewer: Charter schools — even though they've been effective individually — have not been effective systematically. They sit outside of you. They clearly can create some excellence, but there are a lot of charter schools that are not doing well and failing worse than some of our schools.
We do not do a very good job of looking at charters.
The Times: Aren't charters supposed to be an alternative or a spur to the system to improve?
Brewer: The unions now are being a little more flexible in the rules of what they want to do, [so] the charters are accomplishing their mission. They're putting pressure on us so that we can start to force our own change.
[Across the district] you have pockets of excellence. The problem seems to be benchmarking that and replicating it.
The Times: What about the issue of ineffective teachers?
Brewer: In the public sector, you can't just go in and fire somebody. In our business, people have rights. [Teachers] have tenure after two years. So the real drama is how do you either get them up to capacity or find some other seat for them on the bus. It is extremely difficult. This has been plaguing not just education but lots of organizations.
We told the unions we need to work with you a little bit better. First of all, in the teachers' defense, we've got to come up with better professional development training. That's clear.
We have a lot of good people working heroically in a bad system.
You [also] get a lot of questions about Open Court [a district reading program that some teachers say is limited]. It's almost like a carpenter. You give one carpenter a saw and another one a saw and you can get two different results. Same saw. Why? Because one's a journeyman and one's a master.
You can give two different teachers the same tools, the same instructional model and get two different results, normalizing for the same kinds of kids. Why? Because one is a journeyman and one is a master. My job is to make those teachers masters.
The Times: In your speech you talked about the district's interaction with parents.
Brewer: When [parents] go into our schools they aren't treated very well. This has nothing to do with socioeconomics. I'm going to have to push more customer service into our schools to make them feel more welcome.
[During a recent Town Hall with parents] there was so much frustration in that room. I had to take off my coat, take off my tie. It was one of those sessions, because there was so much frustration.
We're not listening to these people. We need to get out more often.
The Times: Some give the mayor credit for bringing a sense of urgency to local school reform. Do you think the system is as broken as the mayor does?
Brewer: Probably not as broken as he sees it, because I'm on this side and I see a lot of excellence. But I clearly see some significant challenges. The mayor and I don't disagree on much.
The Times: Where are you looking to be in, say, four years?
Brewer: If you look at the "Good to Great" model [outlined in a book of the same name by author Jim Collins], it takes you about six years before you see what they call a flywheel effect.
[In other large urban school districts], one of the reasons they can't sustain change is musical superintendents. You can't do that. I'm not begging to keep my job, but you cannot change superintendents every three years and expect to effect change. That's out.
You gotta stay in that job at least six years. [Former L.A. schools Supt. Roy] Romer stayed six years. That's why you see that big change at elementary [schools] and all this huge building program.
Because people who don't want to change will simply sit back and say, "Well, we know he's going to be gone in three years. I'll just outlive him."
In a meeting with The Times' editorial board, the schools chief says superintendents need at least six years to see their reforms implemented.
By Howard Blume and Joel Rubin, Times Staff Writers
June 15, 2007
After giving his first State of the Schools address Thursday, Los Angeles schools Supt. David L. Brewer, a retired Navy vice admiral, answered questions from the L.A. Times editorial board. Here are excerpts from the questions and his responses.
The Times: What do you do about schools that have been failing for years and lack the capacity to improve?
Brewer: I'm going to have the right to tell some people to innovate.
We need to be pushing support down to what I call the level of execution. We learned this in the military years ago. The reason we win wars is because that sergeant and that petty officer can make decisions. We are pushing $11 million from headquarters to the local district superintendents and several people down from headquarters.
The Times: Would you reconstitute any schools, that is, close them down and rebuild them with new leadership and staff under the authority of the federal No Child Left Behind law?
Brewer: To the extent that we can do that. But there are some union rules there.
I will be very frank with you. I'll have to do a little bit more research on that. I asked the question: Why can't I just shut it down and then reopen it?
I was told … [the] local union contract trumps federal law.
The Times: What's an example of something you'd like to see more research on?
Brewer: We're having a tremendous problem with young men, especially African American males and Latino males. We had two principals go out and put in all-male academies at their schools — Jordan High School and King-Drew.
The preliminary results look very good, [but] we need to go in and do research on single-gender classes. Not only for boys but for girls. Now some of that research is already out there: That says if you put girls in classes alone, they tend to do better in math and science.
If you put [boys] in classes together, as we've seen in Jordan and King-Drew, you get a reduction in discipline problems and you get the kind of results you see at Jordan, where 99% of those boys in the 11th grade have already passed the high school exit exam. The overall district average is 88%. So that's encouraging.
The Times: What is your view on charter schools?
Brewer: Charter schools — even though they've been effective individually — have not been effective systematically. They sit outside of you. They clearly can create some excellence, but there are a lot of charter schools that are not doing well and failing worse than some of our schools.
We do not do a very good job of looking at charters.
The Times: Aren't charters supposed to be an alternative or a spur to the system to improve?
Brewer: The unions now are being a little more flexible in the rules of what they want to do, [so] the charters are accomplishing their mission. They're putting pressure on us so that we can start to force our own change.
[Across the district] you have pockets of excellence. The problem seems to be benchmarking that and replicating it.
The Times: What about the issue of ineffective teachers?
Brewer: In the public sector, you can't just go in and fire somebody. In our business, people have rights. [Teachers] have tenure after two years. So the real drama is how do you either get them up to capacity or find some other seat for them on the bus. It is extremely difficult. This has been plaguing not just education but lots of organizations.
We told the unions we need to work with you a little bit better. First of all, in the teachers' defense, we've got to come up with better professional development training. That's clear.
We have a lot of good people working heroically in a bad system.
You [also] get a lot of questions about Open Court [a district reading program that some teachers say is limited]. It's almost like a carpenter. You give one carpenter a saw and another one a saw and you can get two different results. Same saw. Why? Because one's a journeyman and one's a master.
You can give two different teachers the same tools, the same instructional model and get two different results, normalizing for the same kinds of kids. Why? Because one is a journeyman and one is a master. My job is to make those teachers masters.
The Times: In your speech you talked about the district's interaction with parents.
Brewer: When [parents] go into our schools they aren't treated very well. This has nothing to do with socioeconomics. I'm going to have to push more customer service into our schools to make them feel more welcome.
[During a recent Town Hall with parents] there was so much frustration in that room. I had to take off my coat, take off my tie. It was one of those sessions, because there was so much frustration.
We're not listening to these people. We need to get out more often.
The Times: Some give the mayor credit for bringing a sense of urgency to local school reform. Do you think the system is as broken as the mayor does?
Brewer: Probably not as broken as he sees it, because I'm on this side and I see a lot of excellence. But I clearly see some significant challenges. The mayor and I don't disagree on much.
The Times: Where are you looking to be in, say, four years?
Brewer: If you look at the "Good to Great" model [outlined in a book of the same name by author Jim Collins], it takes you about six years before you see what they call a flywheel effect.
[In other large urban school districts], one of the reasons they can't sustain change is musical superintendents. You can't do that. I'm not begging to keep my job, but you cannot change superintendents every three years and expect to effect change. That's out.
You gotta stay in that job at least six years. [Former L.A. schools Supt. Roy] Romer stayed six years. That's why you see that big change at elementary [schools] and all this huge building program.
Because people who don't want to change will simply sit back and say, "Well, we know he's going to be gone in three years. I'll just outlive him."
LA Times: Brewer unveils 'innovation' unit for LAUSD
Supt. David L. Brewer advocates longer school days, same-sex campuses and the creation of an innovation unit to effect change in L.A. Unified.
He talks about his innovation unit, which is headed by Kathi Littman, LAUSD, Director, School Building Planning. Kathi distributed the transformation timeline that was in one of our earlier posts.
He talks about "cluster of schools." The Westchester schools are headed toward this cluster.
Want to be INCLUDED? Get Involved and become informed! Join POWWOW today to learn of the impending changes to Westchester schools.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Read 6/14 article, "Brewer unveils "innovation" unit for LAUSD. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lausd15jun15,1,2194858.story
The Argonaut: Westchester Schools explore self-governance
Westchester Schools explore self-governance
BY GARY WALKER
A comumunity meeting hosted by the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation Thursday, June 7th, to discuss the concept of autonomy for Westchester area schools took a contentious turn after several area educators complained that they had not been properly informed of the proposed reform.
Education advocates, parents, teachers and key members of the Los Angeles Unified School District addressed a packed auditorium at the community room at the Westchester Municipal Building regarding establishing "zones of autonomy" at area campuses, which they feel would improve the level of education, particularly at Westchester High School.
The concept of giving members of the community whose children are currently attending schools in the Westchester neighborhoods more local control, direct community involvement in school policies and a stronger voice in decision-making is an idea that Kelly Kane is excited about exploring."
Autonomy is coming to Westchester," Kane proclaimed prior to the meeting. She is director of the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement and advocacy of public schools in Westchester. "This is just the beginning," Kane continued. She said that she was "inspired and encouraged" by what she called "enthusiastic" support for the possibility of creating zones of autonomy from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) superintendent David Brewer and LAUSD board member and president Marlene Canter, whose district includes Westchester.
The school district, by outward appearances, seems to be receptive to the plan outlined by Westchester parents and some area teachers, unlike the proposal by Green Dot Public Schools, an organization that is seeking to wrest control of Locke High School away from LAUSD and transform the inner-city school into several charter schools, independent of district oversight.
"Everyone who has a stake in making our schools better is being invited to participate," said Kane.
The Westchester/Playa del Rey Neighborhood Council approved a motion to back the autonomy plan, which is still in its nascent stage, on Tuesday, June 5th. Terry Marcellus, a Neighborhood Council director who heads the council's education committee, said that his organization supports the concept of self-rule in principle, with certain conditions.
One of the most important considerations for Marcellus is having governing councils for the schools.
"In my mind, a governing board that has broad representation of all of the stakeholders is essential," he said.
The Westchester/Playa del Rey Neighborhood Council also believes that any autonomy plan should include "best practices of charter schools or another autonomy model."
At the community forum, which was the regular meeting of the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation, Kane repeatedly asked the audience to "open your minds, open your hearts," and "think big."
"We're going to move away from fear, and into beautiful, wonderful, amazing education," she proposed. "Nothing is written in stone, and every voice here will be heard. All of us are on the precipice of greatness, and we can only get there together."
Kathy Littman, who will head LAUSD's new Innovation Division, which has been created to "develop and implement educational models to support effective educational practices," according to the district, spoke in favor of the concept of autonomy zones.
"It's time to do something different," she said. "This is a magic moment that we can take advantage of.
"While Kane and Littman spoke in positive tones about the possibilities of self-governance, several teachers in the audience appeared disgruntled about the reform proposal.
At least three times during comments by Kane, teachers interrupted her to inquire why they had not been notified about the meeting, which several of them learned about at the last minute via word of mouth or from representatives of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), the union that represents the majority of the school district's educators.
Various teachers also alleged that parent volunteers have threatened to replace them if the autonomy reform is successful.
A.J. Duffy, the president of UTLA, said that by not notifying the educators in the Westchester area schools, Kane's organization had "scared the hell out of the teachers," which drew applause from many of the assembled faculty members."I made it as clear as I could possibly make it to teachers that if they do not want to be in an autonomy zone, they do not have to be in an autonomy zone," Duffy continued. "I believe passionately in autonomy, and the idea of a family of schools was a concept that we developed at UTLA in agreement with [Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa].
"All of those concepts were about percolating from the bottom, not putting it down from the top."
Kane told the angry teachers that the district had promised to send out a letter to all area school principals informing them of the meeting and highlighting the specifics of the autonomy plan.
She also attempted to assuage the angry teachers' fears that her organization had any ill will toward them.
"What happened is, the information didn't get (distributed) at the right time by the right people," she reiterated. "That is why this meeting tonight is a little tense.
"I'm hoping that we can all step over that, and get to the place where we know where we can be; which is, let's make our schools the best that they can be, for the kids that are in them," she added.
Barbara Stern was one of the teachers who challenged Kane during and after the meeting. She and some of her colleagues took issue with what they believe is the foundation's attempt to squeeze them out of the reform process, and impose its standards on both the faculty and students.
"I specifically asked [Kane] why the teachers had not been invited to this meeting," the teacher told The Argonaut. "Pretty much every teacher that is here came only because they heard about it through word of mouth.
"Stern also wanted to know why Kane did not acknowledge elementary school educators if the scores at those schools have improved.
"The teachers feel like this is coming down from the top, and being thrust upon us," Stern asserted. "As a veteran teacher, I've seen a lot of these programs, and we've been through all of these different reforms, and then the board has dropped nearly every innovation.
"They stop funding them, dissolve them or they just drop them."
Kane said she believes that a lot of the "panic and rumors" that were on display at the forum were the result of misinformation that emanated from teachers union circles and the failure of the school district to distribute the letter that would have explained the plan in more detail.
"We felt that they dropped the ball," the foundation director contends, referring to the fact that the letter of explanation to the school principals about the community meeting and the autonomy proposal was not mailed.
"It was important that the letter come from the LAUSD chain of command. They left it up to us to tell the community."
Kane said that Canter, who also spoke at the foundation meeting, agreed to make sure that the letter was distributed, and denied telling any member of her group that teachers might be replaced if the proposed reforms take place.
Kane stated that her organization later heard that the letter had been "held back" by the school district.
"Principals were told by our district leaders to not distribute the information," Kane alleged.
During an interview subsequent to the community forum, Kane repeatedly stated that she and her advocacy group believe that teachers are invaluable to their mission of improving Westchester schools.
"We love our teachers," she reiterated. "How can we expect to have good teachers without good schools?
"To be accused of trying to take away teachers' benefits makes me absolutely irate."
Duffy says that he has great respect for Kane and other parent volunteers.
"I believe that they are pure of heart, and want what's best for their kids," he acknowledged. "But even though they say that they have no desire to force people to go along with their plan, [not being included in discussions about autonomy] makes it appear to the teachers that it is mandatory."
He took umbrage at what he felt was an attempt by Brewer and Canter to hijack an idea that he says his union initiated.
"They have talked about a 'family of schools' that doesn't exist," he said.
"It has to be created, and teachers have to play a critical role in any kind school reform, and I will not allow that family to be created for another top-down organization," Duffy vowed.
He alleged that Brewer and Canter brought forth "an amalgam of ideas, none of which were theirs."
"(Duffy and I) agree that our ultimate goals are the same; that we want better schools and more local control, so that our kids can have the best education possible," said Kane.
However, she said she was surprised that Duffy would make the statements that he did at the community meeting.
"I think that Duffy does not like the speed at which I travel," Kane speculated.
The Neighborhood Council's Marcellus, a longtime education advocate and a graduate of Westchester schools, concurs that teachers are a valuable part of any new reform.
"Teachers are one of the key stakeholders in this autonomy plan," said Marcellus, who attended the gathering. "They want to make sure that they get the benefit of their seniority and the benefit of their contract."
Loyola Marymount University (LMU), which is involved in an educational partnership with Westchester High, plans to be an important participant of any reform plan that is created, said LMU's dean of education Shane Martin.
There will be additional forums on the topic of autonomy zones and education reform throughout the summer. LMU will host a community discussion Saturday, June 16th.
From Kane's point of view, school autonomy is not a matter of how; it's a matter of when."Autonomy in this generation started on May 18th with Admiral Brewer," Kane asserted.
"The autonomy train is coming to Westchester."
BY GARY WALKER
A comumunity meeting hosted by the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation Thursday, June 7th, to discuss the concept of autonomy for Westchester area schools took a contentious turn after several area educators complained that they had not been properly informed of the proposed reform.
Education advocates, parents, teachers and key members of the Los Angeles Unified School District addressed a packed auditorium at the community room at the Westchester Municipal Building regarding establishing "zones of autonomy" at area campuses, which they feel would improve the level of education, particularly at Westchester High School.
The concept of giving members of the community whose children are currently attending schools in the Westchester neighborhoods more local control, direct community involvement in school policies and a stronger voice in decision-making is an idea that Kelly Kane is excited about exploring."
Autonomy is coming to Westchester," Kane proclaimed prior to the meeting. She is director of the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement and advocacy of public schools in Westchester. "This is just the beginning," Kane continued. She said that she was "inspired and encouraged" by what she called "enthusiastic" support for the possibility of creating zones of autonomy from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) superintendent David Brewer and LAUSD board member and president Marlene Canter, whose district includes Westchester.
The school district, by outward appearances, seems to be receptive to the plan outlined by Westchester parents and some area teachers, unlike the proposal by Green Dot Public Schools, an organization that is seeking to wrest control of Locke High School away from LAUSD and transform the inner-city school into several charter schools, independent of district oversight.
"Everyone who has a stake in making our schools better is being invited to participate," said Kane.
The Westchester/Playa del Rey Neighborhood Council approved a motion to back the autonomy plan, which is still in its nascent stage, on Tuesday, June 5th. Terry Marcellus, a Neighborhood Council director who heads the council's education committee, said that his organization supports the concept of self-rule in principle, with certain conditions.
One of the most important considerations for Marcellus is having governing councils for the schools.
"In my mind, a governing board that has broad representation of all of the stakeholders is essential," he said.
The Westchester/Playa del Rey Neighborhood Council also believes that any autonomy plan should include "best practices of charter schools or another autonomy model."
At the community forum, which was the regular meeting of the Westchester/Playa del Rey Education Foundation, Kane repeatedly asked the audience to "open your minds, open your hearts," and "think big."
"We're going to move away from fear, and into beautiful, wonderful, amazing education," she proposed. "Nothing is written in stone, and every voice here will be heard. All of us are on the precipice of greatness, and we can only get there together."
Kathy Littman, who will head LAUSD's new Innovation Division, which has been created to "develop and implement educational models to support effective educational practices," according to the district, spoke in favor of the concept of autonomy zones.
"It's time to do something different," she said. "This is a magic moment that we can take advantage of.
"While Kane and Littman spoke in positive tones about the possibilities of self-governance, several teachers in the audience appeared disgruntled about the reform proposal.
At least three times during comments by Kane, teachers interrupted her to inquire why they had not been notified about the meeting, which several of them learned about at the last minute via word of mouth or from representatives of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), the union that represents the majority of the school district's educators.
Various teachers also alleged that parent volunteers have threatened to replace them if the autonomy reform is successful.
A.J. Duffy, the president of UTLA, said that by not notifying the educators in the Westchester area schools, Kane's organization had "scared the hell out of the teachers," which drew applause from many of the assembled faculty members."I made it as clear as I could possibly make it to teachers that if they do not want to be in an autonomy zone, they do not have to be in an autonomy zone," Duffy continued. "I believe passionately in autonomy, and the idea of a family of schools was a concept that we developed at UTLA in agreement with [Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa].
"All of those concepts were about percolating from the bottom, not putting it down from the top."
Kane told the angry teachers that the district had promised to send out a letter to all area school principals informing them of the meeting and highlighting the specifics of the autonomy plan.
She also attempted to assuage the angry teachers' fears that her organization had any ill will toward them.
"What happened is, the information didn't get (distributed) at the right time by the right people," she reiterated. "That is why this meeting tonight is a little tense.
"I'm hoping that we can all step over that, and get to the place where we know where we can be; which is, let's make our schools the best that they can be, for the kids that are in them," she added.
Barbara Stern was one of the teachers who challenged Kane during and after the meeting. She and some of her colleagues took issue with what they believe is the foundation's attempt to squeeze them out of the reform process, and impose its standards on both the faculty and students.
"I specifically asked [Kane] why the teachers had not been invited to this meeting," the teacher told The Argonaut. "Pretty much every teacher that is here came only because they heard about it through word of mouth.
"Stern also wanted to know why Kane did not acknowledge elementary school educators if the scores at those schools have improved.
"The teachers feel like this is coming down from the top, and being thrust upon us," Stern asserted. "As a veteran teacher, I've seen a lot of these programs, and we've been through all of these different reforms, and then the board has dropped nearly every innovation.
"They stop funding them, dissolve them or they just drop them."
Kane said she believes that a lot of the "panic and rumors" that were on display at the forum were the result of misinformation that emanated from teachers union circles and the failure of the school district to distribute the letter that would have explained the plan in more detail.
"We felt that they dropped the ball," the foundation director contends, referring to the fact that the letter of explanation to the school principals about the community meeting and the autonomy proposal was not mailed.
"It was important that the letter come from the LAUSD chain of command. They left it up to us to tell the community."
Kane said that Canter, who also spoke at the foundation meeting, agreed to make sure that the letter was distributed, and denied telling any member of her group that teachers might be replaced if the proposed reforms take place.
Kane stated that her organization later heard that the letter had been "held back" by the school district.
"Principals were told by our district leaders to not distribute the information," Kane alleged.
During an interview subsequent to the community forum, Kane repeatedly stated that she and her advocacy group believe that teachers are invaluable to their mission of improving Westchester schools.
"We love our teachers," she reiterated. "How can we expect to have good teachers without good schools?
"To be accused of trying to take away teachers' benefits makes me absolutely irate."
Duffy says that he has great respect for Kane and other parent volunteers.
"I believe that they are pure of heart, and want what's best for their kids," he acknowledged. "But even though they say that they have no desire to force people to go along with their plan, [not being included in discussions about autonomy] makes it appear to the teachers that it is mandatory."
He took umbrage at what he felt was an attempt by Brewer and Canter to hijack an idea that he says his union initiated.
"They have talked about a 'family of schools' that doesn't exist," he said.
"It has to be created, and teachers have to play a critical role in any kind school reform, and I will not allow that family to be created for another top-down organization," Duffy vowed.
He alleged that Brewer and Canter brought forth "an amalgam of ideas, none of which were theirs."
"(Duffy and I) agree that our ultimate goals are the same; that we want better schools and more local control, so that our kids can have the best education possible," said Kane.
However, she said she was surprised that Duffy would make the statements that he did at the community meeting.
"I think that Duffy does not like the speed at which I travel," Kane speculated.
The Neighborhood Council's Marcellus, a longtime education advocate and a graduate of Westchester schools, concurs that teachers are a valuable part of any new reform.
"Teachers are one of the key stakeholders in this autonomy plan," said Marcellus, who attended the gathering. "They want to make sure that they get the benefit of their seniority and the benefit of their contract."
Loyola Marymount University (LMU), which is involved in an educational partnership with Westchester High, plans to be an important participant of any reform plan that is created, said LMU's dean of education Shane Martin.
There will be additional forums on the topic of autonomy zones and education reform throughout the summer. LMU will host a community discussion Saturday, June 16th.
From Kane's point of view, school autonomy is not a matter of how; it's a matter of when."Autonomy in this generation started on May 18th with Admiral Brewer," Kane asserted.
"The autonomy train is coming to Westchester."
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