August 31, 2011 Yesterday, the Los Angeles Unified School Board approved changes to the Public School Choice Initiative that could give in-district teams priority in applying for new schools. The charter school community, joined by parents and students from other community organizations, came out in opposition of the proposed resolution.
Ultimately, the board approved an amended version of the original resolution, pushing the teachers union to agree to changes to the teachers' contract at new school sites before the board will give in-district applicants priority. CCSA President and CEO Jed Wallace issued a statement on the board decision.
Media coverage of the decision included:
- An Associated Press story that ran in a number of outlets, including Education Week, Mercury News and others.
- LA Times: L.A. Unified gives insiders first chance at new charter campuses
- LA Daily News: Change in LAUSD reform plan gives internal groups an edge
- La Opinion: Dan prioridad a escuelas nuevas
- A story on Fox 11
- LA Wave: LAUSD Board Revises School Choice Policy
- LA Wave: Parents, students, teachers divided on Public School Choice
- LA Weekly: LAUSD Gives District Insiders Big Win With First Dibs on New Campuses
- EGP News: Los Angeles School Board Approves 'Two-Tier' System in PSC Reform
- Jed Wallace was a guest on AirTalk with Larry Mantle on KPCC in Los Angeles
- Channel 22 interviews parents about the board decision.
Two major newspapers wrote editorials against the board's decision:
- LA Times: A weaker Public School Choice initiative
- LA Daily News: New reform rule giving teachers the inside track on new schools a gamble
