For Los Angeles Schools, Reform Means Uncertainty

Making News

LA City Council Votes on Homeless Settlement ()

In a case filed by the ACLU, federal courts ruled that it's unconstitutional for the LAPD to arrest people who sleep on the streets of Skid Row because there aren't enough beds for the homeless. To avoid time-consuming appeals of that ruling, Chief William Bratton worked out a deal with the ACLU to allow sidewalk sleeping--only in a defined area and only at night. Today, by a vote of 10-to-3, the LA City Council turned him down.

Guests:

• Jan Perry: Los Angeles City Councilwoman, @JanPerry
• Eric Garcetti: President of the Los Angeles City Council, @ericgarcetti

Main Topic

For Los Angeles Schools, Reform Means Uncertainty ()

Governor Schwarzenegger has signed Mayor Villaraigosa's school reorganization bill, promising that test scores will go up while dropout rates will go down. Instead of the total control he originally demanded, the Mayor will have to share power with the elected School Board and the teachers.  That's if the Board fails to get the Mayor's reorganization thrown out by the courts. All parties promise to work together--in the interests of education--but how can they do that before their differences are resolved?

Guests:

• Howard Blume: Reporter, Los Angeles Times, @howardblume
• David Tokofsky: Outgoing Board Member, Los Angeles Unified School District
• A.J. Duffy: President of the United Teachers Los Angeles

Links:

• Blume's article on passage of Villaraigosa's education-reform measure
• Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), California Chapter
• Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
• California Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
• California Teachers Association (CTA) on signing of education reform