Notable Quotable
“LAUSD is going to have to stop blaming its fiscal situation on charter schools and start addressing the root causes of its own financial woes: spending more than it takes in, in large part due to long-term pension and health care costs, and its insistence on increasing staffing levels even though there are fewer students to serve.” —Lisa Snell, director of education policy at Reason Foundation
Reason Foundation recently released a new study on Los Angeles Unified School District’s fiscal outlook. The study finds that LAUSD attributes an unduly high percentage of its decline in enrollment to charter schools, which outperform the district at most every measure, instead of addressing the root causes of its own financial woes. Data projections clearly show a structural and compounding annual deficit that threatens to overwhelm the core operations of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Click here for the full study.
Student-Based Budgeting in the News
LAUSD’s Fiscal Crisis Can’t Be Blamed on Charter Schools or Declining Enrollment
LAUSD must right-size itself — closing some schools and reducing administrative positions to align with falling enrollment.
Five Recommendations to Solve LAUSD’s Looming Fiscal Crisis
Modernizing the district’s antiquated budgeting system is one part of the solution.
Research & Resources Spotlight
Infographic: LAUSD Financial Outlook
A one-page summary of LAUSD’s fiscal outlook and five strategies for addressing its structural deficit.
Podcast: Lisa Snell sits down with EdChoice’s Marty Luken
LAUSD’s problems are similar to other districts in the U.S. and school choice could be part of the solution.
Radio: Lisa Snell Discusses Reason’s New Study on LA’s John and Ken Show
The interview begins at 1:02:30.
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