LAUSD Reform

April 21, 2006 by dave

It was interesting today to see two different editorials in LA papers on the LAUSD reform.

This LA Times editorial discusses the CTA/UTLA efforts to maintain the status quo and defeat the Mayor's reform efforts.

Such sentiments are more fit for the playground than the classroom. State legislators shouldn't confuse the union's bankroll with what's best for the students of Los Angeles, who have suffered long enough.

In this LA Daily News article Tony Strickland, former Assemblymember and candidate for State Controller calls for an immediate audit of LAUSD.

We need action now. The state controller should launch an immediate audit of the LAUSD. It's not the only example of waste in the state, but it may well be the most visible. The controller is the state's chief financial officer. He has a duty to provide oversight, particularly on one of the largest public agencies in California, the second-largest school district in the country. The LAUSD has a budget of over $13 billion dollars, two-thirds of which comes from the state.

A thorough audit would account for the billions of dollars that have been spent over the past few years, identify programs that suffer from the most egregious waste, and create a blueprint for effective governance in the future. An audit would be instrumental in building a system that is responsive and successful.

I have a newborn baby girl. In five years, she'll be ready for public school. It's easier to focus on a problem that affects us personally, but the inescapable fact is that we will all bear the social cost of failed schools. Taxpayers will support schools that work, but it is naive to expect support for a system that refuses to hold itself accountable.

It's time to audit LAUSD.

LAUSD has serious problems. The present leadership of Superintendent Romer, the school board and UTLA have not resolved the district's problems. Year after year, children are receiving a substandard education from their schools. LAUSD seems content to make minimal progress while tens of thousands of children are prepared for failure.

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