ONTACT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shannon Haber, 213-241-6766 January 23, 2020
Accelerating the Pace of Progress in Schools
Superintendent Austin Beutner discusses the state of schools
with Dr. Pedro Noguera of UCLA
Broad-ranging conversation includes a candid assessment of the current state of schools and concrete efforts to accelerate student achievement
The topics they discussed included:
- Beyond the Schoolhouse: Los Angeles Unified serves communities with many needs, and it will take a committed and coordinated effort from the city, county, state and federal governments to help address the needs.
- Connecting Schools and Communities: The bond between schools and the communities they serve needs to be made stronger.
- Leadership and Professional Development: Great schools make a great school system, not the other way around. Los Angeles Unified is making an increased effort to build capacity in school leaders and classroom teachers.
- Using Data: Data at all levels – students, schools and across Los Angeles Unified – can be used to guide efforts in the classroom and to accelerate progress in schools.
- Focus on Instruction: Los Angeles Unified is focused on accelerating early literacy and math skills in highest-needs students.
- Revenue, Budgets and Spending: Los Angeles Unified is following through on its commitment to become more transparent and put all of the dollars it has into the classroom. But more funding is needed.
- Building on Success: Extraordinary work is being done in schools and efforts are being made to expand the number of students who will benefit from this. For example, Los Angeles Unified leads the state in dual-language instruction and will double the number of students in these programs over the next five years.
- Community Support for Public Education: The broader community in Los Angeles needs to re-engage in public education. Business and philanthropy can help us with the funding and expertise to provide students and schools with the margin of excellence.
Superintendent Beutner commented, “A great education is the cumulative product of many different pieces and the work of many different people during the course of a student’s K-12 journey. Our efforts to reduce bureaucracy, connect schools with communities they serve and focus on instruction will, together, help us accelerate the pace of progress in schools.”
Dr. Noguera said, “The challenges have been well identified. Now it’s about what’s being done to address them, and we all need to roll up our sleeves and help.”
Board Member Nick Melvoin joined other Los Angeles Unified leaders who attended the event.
“It’s really important that Superintendent Beutner is starting to talk about accelerating progress in a venue where we’re with the community, academics and district staff,” Board Member Melvoin said. “All performance indicators have been pointing in the right direction for the last several years, but the superintendent and I agree that progress is not fast enough. It’s going to take an investment of dollars and other community resources and human capital to make sure we are acting with courage and urgency so that our students get the education they deserve.”
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