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Though cheating from the executive director on down has been uncovered at Crescendo Charter Schools, LAUSD is likely to reauthorize Crescendo's charter.

After all the debate over teacher evaluation, class size, reading & math fundamentals, special ed, etc., what actually works in public education? New test scores released Monday revealed surprising results: that the Los Angeles Unified School District not only held its own in math and English test scores, but in most cases outperformed schools run by four charter reform efforts. What’s more, the district achieved the feat without outside funding brought in by reform groups to their schools. LAUSD is championing the results but the charters say it’s not the whole picture. They claim the numbers alone leave out important elements, like the large number of students who greatly improved their scores but still did not meet proficiency standards, school safety, and student retention to list just a few. David leads a discussion with the LAUSD and heads of some of those reform efforts about what approach they take, what works—both in the long and short term—and what the goals of public education should be.

Guests

John Deasy, superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District

Marco Petruzzi, CEO and President of Green Dot Public Schools, a charter organization that runs Watts’ Locke High School

Blair Taylor, president of the Urban League, which along with USC and the Bradley Foundation oversees Crenshaw High School

Marshall Tuck, head of Partnership for L.A. Schools, Mayor Villaraigosa’s education organization