On Top of the News
$490-Million Plan Would Put Half of LAUSD Students in Charter Schools
Los Angeles Times | 9/21/15

Behind the Headline
Palace Revolt in Los Angeles
Education Next| Summer 2010

A group of foundations in Los Angeles have developed a $490-million plan to add 260 new charter schools in the city over the next eight years, enrolling at least 130,000 students. A memo describing the plan was published by the Los Angeles Times earlier this week. In a statement to Ed Week’s Arianna Prothero, the Broad Foundation said that the memo is a preliminary discussion draft.

The day after the memo was published, the L.A. Times reported that

Dividing lines quickly emerged on the Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday over an ambitious plan to double the number of charter campuses across the city, with two members vowing an all-out fight and two others applauding the expansion of choice for parents. The three remaining board members had deep reservations about the $490-million proposal, suggesting that the money should be used for existing schools.

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For background on previous school reform efforts in Los Angeles, please read:

“Palace Revolt in Los Angeles: Charter school and Latino leaders push unions to innovate,” by Bruce Fuller, Education Next, Summer 2010

“Power Struggle in Los Angeles: Mayor Villaraigosa battles the public school bureaucracy,” forum, Education Next, Summer 2007:

“A Murky Picture: An attempted takeover goes awry,” by Daniel Weintraub, Education Next, Summer 2007

“A Ray of Hope: Politics may still save L.A. schools,” by Charles Taylor Kerchner, Education Next, Summer 2007

– Education Next