Los Angeles Unified School District

Donjai Richardson  |   OW Guest Contributor
Dec 23 2010

Connie Sparks lifting up small businesses

You don’t need to light a fire under Connie Sparks. She provides her own, well, you know... The 43-year-old entrepreneur is the founder of the Wade Institute, a business consulting firm with clients as far away as Hawaii, New York, Ohio, and, of course, in her home state of California.

“I help small businesses define their businesses,” said Sparks. “I help them restructure their business and strategic plans. I also help them with business development and business financing. I’m pretty much hands-on with my clients.”

Dec 16 2010

Boosting students' performance

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education approved a proposal to start the school year about two weeks earlier than usual in hopes of boosting students' performance on standardized tests.

The board voted 6-1 to begin classes at most elementary, middle and high schools on Aug. 15, starting next year, and end on June 1. The school year has traditionally started immediately after Labor Day.

The proposal does not effect the small number of campuses on multi-track, year-round schedules.

Nov 30 2010

Enhancing Education through Technology Competitive Grants

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Dozens of schools districts and schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties were awarded more than $13.6 million in federal grants to bolster programs that help students prepare for "college and careers,'' it was announced today.

A total of 37 districts and schools in the two counties received Enhancing Education Through Technology Competitive Grants.

Among the recipients were:
• Los Angeles Unified School District, $3 million;
• Long Beach Unified School District, $1 million;

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Nov 18 2010

Some contests could be intense

Sixteen contenders, including two incumbents have thrown their hats into the ring in the City of Los Angeles Council districts eight and ten political contests while six people are seeking a seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education including two incumbents.

The candidates submitted their declaration of intention forms by Nov. 9 to the Los Angeles City Clerks office, and now have until Dec. 8 to submit their official nomination papers.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Oct 21 2010

Many groups target same goal

Black students in Los Angeles are struggling to improve their academic achievement, and there are a number of efforts under way to provide the resources needed to help them succeed.
One such effort is being pushed by Los Angeles Unified School Director Board of Education member Marguerite LaMotte and the others comes from the Coalition for Black Student Equity and the African American Education Alliance.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.