Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/7398
LEFT: Parent Jsané Tyler, whose daughter attends third grade at Hillcrest Elementary School, speaks in support of UTLA’s efforts and the local plan. UTLA urges non-charter management of schools President Greg Solkovits, and West Are a Chair Ce ci ly Myar t -Cruz joined wi th teachers at Hillcrest Elemen- tary School for a news confer- ence announcing that school’s innovative plan to improve school performance and stu- dent achievement. Hillcrest’s was one of 30 UTLA-spon- sored plans submitted on O n Jan. 11, United Teach- ers Los Angeles Presi- dent A.J. Duf fy, Vice behalf of 12 lower-perform- ing schools and 18 brand-new schools subject to the Los Angeles Unified School Dis- trict’s Public School Choice motion, a measure that put the targeted schools up for management takeover bids by both ins ide and out s ide groups. Duffy said that UTLA members at Hillcrest had de- veloped a quality plan and had the best chance of moving the school forward. “These are people who know this school, these students, and this com- munity like no one else,” he said. Hillcrest teacher and NEA Director Sonia Martin- Solis concurred, stressing the expertise, effort, and strong parent support that had gone into the plan development and how connected the school’s teachers are to the community and to their students’ needs. “The parents here have felt ig- nored by the district, and they see our plan as the best option for their children,” she said. “They ask us, what can we do to help?” The LAUSD Board of Edu- cation passed the Public School Choice motion in Au- gust, sending waves of anxiety throughout the district as the board appeared to be abrogat- ing its responsibility. UTLA strenuously objected to the motion and the rushed time- lines imposed on groups vy- ing to run the af fe c ted schools. While supporting the potential opportunity for lo- cal teachers to finally have more direct authority over how their students are taught, UTLA members objected to the idea of outside charter school operators moving in to take over schools that could better be run by committed staff members. With support from CTA, UTLA filed a lawsuit in De- cember alleging the district had violated the Education Code by allowing public schools to convert charters without a petition of 50 per- cent of the affected staff. It was hoped that a decision on the suit would be rendered before the school board’s final vote in late February on all the sub- mitted plans. Despite filing the lawsuit, UTLA leaders recognized this was also an opportunity for their members to wrest con- trol away from a failed LAUSD bureaucracy, and they began working closely with the im- pacted schools on developing local plans customized for their students and their com- munities. The preliminary plans were reviewed and re- ceived input from CTA and NEA staff and other educa- tion experts. Recognizing the tight timelines, UTLA mem- bers worked on their own time and during winter break to put the f inal details on plans that they felt would best serve their students. While still pushing ahead LEFT: United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy speaks at Hillcrest Elementary during a news conference announcing that school’s plan to improve school performance and student achievement. 24 California Educator | FEBRUARY 2010 with their own local school plan development, UTLA con- tinued to object to the rushed and disorganized takeover bidding process. Citing the potential disenfranchisement of parents in a scheduled advi- sory vote, Duffy sent a letter to CTA photos by Frank Wells