Which Way, L.A.?
Re-evaluating LA Schools Using the 'Value-Added' Method
Last week, the LA Times revealed that the nation's second largest school district had information that could help evaluate teachers, but never used it. This week, it applied the same information to find that some supposedly good schools aren't so hot after all, and that some "failing" schools are doing better than anyone realized. We hear from the Times, the teachers' union and an activist parent. Also, Eli Broad, the decider. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, a disaster in Pakistan that's "changing everything."
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenLast week, the Los Angeles Times revealed that the nation's second largest school district had information that could help evaluate teachers, but never used it. This week, it applied the same information to find that some supposedly good schools aren't so hot after all, and that some "failing" schools are doing better than anyone realized. We hear from the Times, the teachers' union and an activist parent. Also, Eli Broad, the decider. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, flooding in Pakistan is a slow-motion humanitarian crisis that threatens democratic government and civic order—not to mention American interests. We get a comprehensive look at the disaster.
In this episode
3 storiesAs Expected, Broad Picks Downtown LA for New Museum
Los Angeles billionaire Eli Broad has been dangling the possibility that a new art museum to hold has massive collection might be constructed in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills or downtown LA. Broad said he was postponing a final decision to make sure he got the deal he wanted.
Read the story1 minRe-evaluating LA Schools Using the 'Value-Added' Method
The Los Angeles Times has been reporting on what's called " value added " analysis of standardized test scores. Last week, the paper revealed that LA Unified had information that could help evaluate individual teachers, but wasn't using it, partly because of objection from the teachers' union.
Read the story1 minPakistan Floods Spread Misery, Threaten Regional Security
"It is as if a neutron bomb exploded overhead, but instead of killing the people and leaving their houses intact, it piled trees upon the houses and swept away the villages and crops and animals, leaving the people alive.” That's from an account by Daniyal Mueenuddin, a prize-winning writer who practiced law in New York City but now lives on a…
Read the story1 min
