L.A. enthusiastic for change
Last night, Feb 15, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and StudentsFirst CEO Michelle Rhee hosted a discussion on education in Los Angeles as a part of the California Listening Tour - jointly sponsored by the California Mayors Education Roundtable and StudentsFirst.
The audience discussed ways to ensure all children in California have access to great teachers and great schools and the need to implement policies and laws that benefit students. One policy discussed was last in, first out, which mandates that when teacher layoffs are required they are based solely on seniority with no regard for teacher effectiveness.
From the LA Times:
In her remarks and a question-and-answer session, Rhee took on "last in, first out" rules that govern teacher layoffs. She characterized this approach as "incredibly detrimental to students and schools," because gifted, less-experienced teachers are put out of work while less effective teachers with more seniority get to keep their jobs.
The LA Times also said:
"California is one of the few states left that mandates in state law that layoffs happen this way," Rhee said. "What were going to have to do is get politically active."
The audience at the Los Angeles event had great questions and the enthusiasm for meaningful education reform was palpable. Thanks Los Angeles for hosting a great evening and discussion!
