| In terms of numbers, Los Angeles Schools make up | | | | Schwarzenegger and the California Department of |
| the second largest public school district in the country. | | | | Finance. It alleged that they had failed to appropriately |
| Only New York City Schools top them. The issues of | | | | fund Proposition 98 during the 2004 to 2006 school |
| running any urban system are complex, but in massive | | | | years. O'Connell is using the lawsuit's awards to |
| districts the numbers make efforts even more difficult. | | | | provide $2.7 billion to some of California and Los |
| Los Angeles Schools Struggle with Graduation Rates | | | | Angeles Schools' highest risk schools. The funds are |
| Simply getting students to graduate is a challenge for | | | | part of a program called the Quality Education |
| the Los Angeles Schools. A 2006 USA Today study | | | | Investment Act. The funds will provide chosen Los |
| reported that Los Angeles Schools were among | | | | Angeles Schools with additional per pupil funds of $500 |
| several large urban districts with less than 50% of its | | | | for k-3rd grade, $900 for 4th through 8th, and $1,000 |
| students gradating from high school on time. That | | | | for 9th through 12th . Los Angeles Schools intend to |
| report put the number of graduates in Los Angeles | | | | use the money for hiring more teachers, addressing |
| Schools at 44.2%. This is well under the California | | | | class size concerns, professional development, and |
| state graduation rate of 71%. Another report released | | | | hiring in-school counselors. Los Angeles Schools are in |
| from Princeton University in 2005 estimated the lost | | | | need in many areas. The national achievement gap is |
| income of these dropouts at over $36 billion. These | | | | huge here because of a large population of English |
| numbers are not surprising to educators in the Los | | | | Language Learners, and a low socio-economic |
| Angeles Schools. Numerous studies over the years | | | | population. One concern of the Princeton study |
| have confirmed what Los Angeles Schools teachers | | | | mentioned above is that it pointed out huge |
| know. High School drop-outs are far more likely to | | | | discrepancies in graduation rates between white and |
| become teen parents, commit crimes, and use | | | | non-white students. African-American students and |
| government funded social and medical services. | | | | Hispanic students have the lowest graduation rates; |
| Graduates have higher incomes, raise better-educated | | | | and Los Angeles Schools are largely made up of |
| children, and experience other social benefits. Los | | | | these student minorities. Over 100 Los Angeles |
| Angeles Schools Receive Funds As the result of a | | | | Schools will receive the additional funds over the next |
| 2005 lawsuit filed by State Schools Chief Jack | | | | seven years. |
| O'Connell and the California Teachers Association, | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| some of the poorest rated Los Angeles Schools were | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| awarded extra funding in May of 2007. The lawsuit | | | | private K-12 schools. |
| was filed in 2006 against California Governor | | | | |