(From LA Times, April 14th, 2013)
Make schools transparent
By Gloria Romero
I want the next mayor to be an education mayor, but not by simply operating his or her own network of schools. I’d like the mayor to create an Office of City Schools to provide a one-stop informational shop for families. This office would provide detailed information on each school’s academic “dashboards” to parents and residents: the academic performance level of each school (including charters, magnets, private); graduation rates; their eligibility to be transformed under the state “parent trigger” or the federal No Child Left Behind laws. Information on parental choice organizations and laws, including open-enrollment data and transfer eligibility, would be available, enabling parents to make informed decisions. Because housing and schools are closely linked, the office would provide data on real estate sales, transit routes and crime rates. Information for each school on staffing, salaries and ongoing major litigation would also be made transparent and accessible.
Read the full post here.