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Reforms

Current reforms to public education include the new Common Core State Standards for learning, the Local Control Funding Formula for school districts, the rise of charter schools and the growth of partnerships between schools, nonprofits, businesses and other government agencies. You will also find reporting about new initiatives and smaller reforms throughout the EdSource site.
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 20, 2017

Oakland charters more likely to enroll higher-performing students than district schools

About 30 percent of Oakland students attend charter schools – one of the highest concentrations of charter students in the state.

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

DeVos says some charter school 'reformers' have become 'just another breed of bureaucrats'

The U.S. education secretary says the movement has departed from its founding principles of creativity and innovation.

Louis Freedberg
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
June 11, 2017

Middle-school students embrace endless summer ... of linear equations

Free summer programs help kids struggling in math get a head start on algebra and geometry.

Carolyn Jones
June 7, 2017

Students perform better at schools offering extra services on campus, study finds

Learning Policy Institute research shows student achievement improves at schools that offer on-campus social services.

Carolyn Jones
June 7, 2017

Q & A: Poor students and English learners did better on tests but achievement gaps yet to narrow

Standardized test results from 2015 and 2016 show disadvantaged students aren't progressing as quickly as wealthier, English-fluent peers.

Theresa Harrington
May 30, 2017

LAUSD election, new data provide momentum for charter schools

New research shows that charter schools are improving the achievement of the predominantly minority and low-income students in Los Angeles Unified School District.

Lance Izumi
May 29, 2017

California students go online in record numbers to take Common Core-aligned tests, with few glitches

Familiarity with tests and increased Internet capabilities helped districts administer assessments, but state system experienced glitches when overloaded.

Theresa Harrington
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 21, 2017

Gov. Brown's proposal delays $1 billion for schools until 2019

The governor's view is it's better to wait to see if revenues come through than to cut later.

John Fensterwald
May 18, 2017

Federal support for teacher training to continue, but next year's funding in doubt

The Trump Administration has proposed eliminating Title II teacher training programs in 2017-18.

Michael Collier
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