New funds available to train bilingual teachers in California

July 11, 2017

New funds available to train bilingual teachers in California

An advocacy group for English learners says the $5 million in new state money to train more bilingual teachers is a "first step," and warns that Proposition 58 has worsened a severe shortage of bilingual teachers.

Ashley Hopkinson

June 25, 2017

In California push to help students with dyslexia, LA schools take a first step

Parents described the nightmare of a child who is unable to learn to read and the need for schools to provide services to address dyslexia.

Jane Meredith Adams

June 21, 2017

Reed Hastings backs school board candidates, but opposes elected school boards

The Netflix co-founder who has donated some of the biggest sums to charter school causes in California since 2011 thinks elected school boards are holding back education progress in the United States.

Louis Freedberg and Mikhail Zinshteyn

June 19, 2017

New LA school board member says his election was not about 'the proliferation of charters'

Nick Melvoin says "victory" for him over the next few years would be "across-the-board improvements in the district," not charter growth.

Louis Freedberg

June 18, 2017

New LA school board member says strengthening district schools her first priority

Kelly Gonez was backed by charter school advocates, but says expanding the number of charters is not what she is interested in doing.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

June 13, 2017

In a city of charters, the LA school district runs many of them

Unlike independent charters, affiliated charters’ student discipline policies match the district’s. They operate out of district buildings that they don’t have to pay for and the district covers their administrative expenses. Affiliated or dependent charters are “really connected to the mother ship,” said José Cole-Gutiérrez, director of the L.A. Unified’s charter school division, the body that oversees both groups of charters.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

May 24, 2017

Election aftermath: Don't expect to see big increases in LA charter schools

Expanding charters will exacerbate L.A. Unified's major challenges, including a prospective budget deficit and declining enrollment.

Louis Freedberg and Mikhail Zinshteyn

May 17, 2017

Charter-backed candidates win majority on L.A. Unified school board

The race for the three board seats generated nearly $17 million in campaign spending.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

April 20, 2017

California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight

A bill that would have allowed only school districts to approve new charter petitions is very much alive despite being shelved Monday by its sponsor.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

April 12, 2017

High schools turning to student portfolios to assess academic progress

Across California, 34 high schools and 12 districts have formed a network to promote performance-based assessments, including portfolios. These are the end product of months of intense collaboration, research, critical thinking and multiple revisions that students typically present in their senior year.

Ashley Hopkinson

April 9, 2017

Despite law change, few districts offer early kindergarten for youngest 4-year-olds

Only six of California's 25 largest school districts are taking advantage of a state law that allows them to enroll more 4-year-olds in a pre-kindergarten program known as “transitional kindergarten.”