Leaving Finland

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Lake Jyvasjarvi I have never lived anywhere for 5 months other than Jyvaskyla, Finland. As my Fulbright journey concludes, there is so much to still digest. It will take months, if not years, to truly assimilate all the learning. Before I left Southern California, I wrote about the what I would miss the most from home and what I  looked forward to experiencing in Finland. It is safe to say I met my goals. Top 7 Goals 1. Discussing Education Helsinki Workshop Through professional development programs, Fulbright Finland connected teachers with scholars and researchers, for the purpose of putting inquisitive minds together. The Making Democracies Resilient to Modern Threats seminar provided participants with fascinating research and presentations. 2. Nordic Model Bus station in Espoo What does an efficient and earnest country look like?  It looks like Finland. Yes, people pay higher taxes, but get so much in return. I for one appreciated the well-maintained ro
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Criteria For Being Outsourced

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The Superintendent's "Public Choice" Timeline has been delayed by one week, and is now permanently tentative, according to the Friday email blast received by all employees and posted on the LAUSD website. Criteria for schools to be taken over by corporate management organizations, however, was posted. It includes:





Less than 21% proficiency in either Math or ELA no

Less than a 10pt growth in API no

Program Improvement Status of 3+ yes

Greater than 10% dropout rates does not apply


We meet only 1 of the criteria, PI 3+ status, so we should be exempt from takeover this year. However, as we understand it, the L.A. School Board called a meeting this past week to support SB51 which will require that 5% of all struggling schools be eligible for a takeover. While we may be out of the fire this year, it is no guarantee we will remain a public school in perpetuity.


Why is the School Board in such a rush to abdicate their authority?


Los Angeles voters are correct when they demand accountability from schools. Their taxes are paying for schools. But in this democracy, public schooling is a right guaranteed to everyone. We elect our leaders to oversee public schools, for the benefit of all members of society. Voters did NOT elect Steve Barr or Antonio Villaraigosa to run schools. Why are our school board members giving away schools or as Superintendent Cortines put it, letting them be stolen?


Whatever the reasons, this school community is buoyed by our latest accountability reporting marks, and hope to maintain our sustained, incremental growth in academics so that we can keep providing students a quality education in South Central.

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