Los Angeles Schools Run Nation S Second Largest District

Los Angeles Schools Run Nations Second Largest District

Summary: In terms of numbers, Los Angeles Schools make up the second largest public school district in the country. Only New York City Schools top them. The issues of running any urban system are complex, but in massive districts the numbers make efforts even more difficult.

Los Angeles Schools Struggle with Graduation Rates

Simply getting students to graduate is a challenge for the Los Angeles Schools. A USA Today study reported that Los Angeles Schools were among several...

Los Angeles Schools, Patricia Hawke

Article Body: In terms of numbers, Los Angeles Schools make up the second largest public school district in the country. Only New York City Schools top them. The issues of running any urban system are complex, but in massive districts the numbers make efforts even more difficult.

Los Angeles Schools Struggle with Graduation Rates

Simply getting students to graduate is a challenge for the Los Angeles Schools. A USA Today study reported that Los Angeles Schools were among several large urban districts with less than % of its students gradating from high school on time. That report put the number of graduates in Los Angeles Schools at .%. This is well under the California state graduation rate of %.

Another report released from Princeton University in estimated the lost income of these dropouts at over $ billion. These numbers are not surprising to educators in the Los Angeles Schools. Numerous studies over the years have confirmed what Los Angeles Schools teachers know. High School drop-outs are far more likely to become teen parents, commit crimes, and use government funded social and medical services. Graduates have higher incomes, raise better-educated children, and experience other social benefits.

Los Angeles Schools Receive Funds

As the result of a lawsuit filed by State Schools Chief Jack OConnell and the California Teachers Association, some of the poorest rated Los Angeles Schools were awarded extra funding in May of . The lawsuit was filed in against California Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Department of Finance. It alleged that they had failed to appropriately fund Proposition during the to school years.

OConnell is using the lawsuits awards to provide $. billion to some of California and Los Angeles Schools highest risk schools. The funds are part of a program called the Quality Education Investment Act. The funds will provide chosen Los Angeles Schools with additional per pupil funds of $ for k-rd grade, $ for th through th, and $, for th through th . Los Angeles Schools intend to use the money for hiring more teachers, addressing class size concerns, professional development, and hiring in-school counselors.

Los Angeles Schools are in need in many areas. The national achievement gap is huge here because of a large population of English Language Learners, and a low socio-economic population. One concern of the Princeton study mentioned above is that it pointed out huge discrepancies in graduation rates between white and non-white students. African-American students and Hispanic students have the lowest graduation rates; and Los Angeles Schools are largely made up of these student minorities. Over Los Angeles Schools will receive the additional funds over the next seven years.