Briefly: LAUSD IN THE NEWS

from the LAUSD Headline Clipping Service

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Deal would let L.A. teachers create "pilot schools"

December 3, 2009

Local school officials and the teachers union have reached a tentative deal that would help groups of teachers bid for control of 30 campuses under a recently adopted school-reform plan.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/12/deal-would-let-la-teachers-create-pilot-schools.html

DAILY NEWS

Tentative deal on pilot schools set

LAUSD, teachers union agree to pact that would call for 20 to open next year

By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer

Updated: 12/02/2009 07:41:59 PM PST

Los Angeles Unified announced a tentative deal Wednesday with the teachers union that would allow the opening of 20 more semi-independent "pilot" schools next year.

http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_13913533?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com

LETTERS

UTLA responds

Re "LAUSD superintendent orders hiring freeze, expense cutting" (Nov. 24):

LAUSD Superintendent Cortines' hiring freeze, paired with his exception to that policy for teachers, is good news. Budget cuts must be made as far away from the classroom as possible, and any diminution of teaching services will only hurt our students.

That's why the next important step for Cortines is to drop his push for employee "furlough" days and steep pay cuts, which would have negative long-range consequences for our schools by demoralizing

staff, forcing teachers to leave for other districts, and severely hurting the school district's ability to

recruit the best educators. In the end, once again, it will be our children who will lose.

- A.J. DUFFY

Los Angeles

The letter writer is president of the United Teachers of Los Angeles

DAILY BREEZE

LAUSD will give status update on new high school

By Melissa Pamer Staff Writer

Posted: 12/02/2009 06:12:24 PM PST

The Los Angeles Unified School District will provide an update tonight on construction of a new high school meant to relieve overcrowding at Carson and Banning high schools.

Construction began on the campus in October 2008. Just over the border from Carson in Long Beach, the school is set to open in fall 2011.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Dominguez Elementary School, 21250 S. Santa Fe Ave., Carson.

For information, call Roberta Jones-Booker at 213-893-6800.

- Melissa Pamer

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SUN

Rail Safety Public Education Tour Launches at Chatsworth High School

Written by Information Provided to San Fernando Valley Sun

Thursday, 03 December 2009

The California Department of Transportation/Amtrak California launched its first ever teen rail safety public education campaign and made a stop Monday at Chatsworth High School.

http://sanfernandosun.com/sanfernsun/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4580&Itemid=2

EASTERN GROUP PUBLICATIONS

Niños Agradecen a Vons por Nuevos Zapatos

Posted By admin On November 26, 2009 @ 9:12 am In Boyle Heights, General Noticias | No

Cien estudiantes de la primaria Sunrise Elementary en Boyle Heights el miércoles recibieron un nuevo par de zapatos gracias a una subvención de $10.000 por la Fundación Vons entregada a la organización sin fines de lucro Shoes That Fit.

Carlos Illingworth, portavoz de la fundación, fue personalmente dado las gracias por los niños contentísimos que recibieron zapatos. Illingworth les dijo que no había necesitad de darle las gracias y los motivo a continuar a hacer buen trabajo en los salones.

Alumnas de Sunrise felizmente demuestran sus zapatos nuevos. Foto de EGP por Gloria Angelina Castillo

THE AGRONAUT

LAUSD considers consolidating local school district offices

BY GARY WALKER

Thursday, December 3, 2009

MICHELLE KING, the superintendent of Local District 3, says that local schools could lose an important element of “personalization” that these offices provide if the Los Angeles Unified School District decides to consolidate half of the district’s eight sites.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines is considering eliminating half of the district’s eight local district offices in a cost-cutting measure that could potentially save the district approximately $12 million.

http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2009/12/03/news_-_features/top_stories/2a.prt

KPCC 89.3

2 LA Unified labor unions accept furloughs

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez | KPCC

Thursday Dec. 3rd

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Two Los Angeles Unified School District labor unions have agreed to accept four unpaid days off to help the district close a nearly $500 million budget deficit expected for the next fiscal year.

Leaders of the California School Employees Association and Service Employees International Union, representing nearly 30,000 L.A. Unified workers, have said yes to the unpaid days off.

Nearly two weeks ago Superintendent Ramon Cortines issued a sober warning in a letter to all union presidents in which he urged all employees to accept four unpaid days off and a 12 percent pay cut. Without the concessions, he wrote, the district will send layoff notices to 14,000 school employees in July, 2010.

L.A. Unified’s largest union, United Teachers Los Angeles, isn’t close to accepting either option. A spokeswoman said negotiations with school officials are just beginning.

Cortines urged the unions to act soon even though Sacramento’s far from allocating education money for next year. By law, school districts must submit budget projections for the next fiscal year by Dec. 15.

L.A. Unified’s board is voting on an interim budget a week before that. Some labor leaders say that with so many unions involved and such drastic cost cutting at stake, it’s likely negotiations will stretch beyond the district deadline.