LAUSD to delay its 'early start' school calendar
By Connie Llanos/Los Angeles Daily Breeze
Los Angeles Unified will delay the launch of its "early-start" calendar until 2012-13 because of uncertainty about the state budget, officials said Tuesday. Based on the success of the calendar during a test run at 17 schools, administrators had planned to implement it districtwide beginning this fall. Classes were scheduled to start Aug. 15 - three weeks earlier than usual - and end June 1, 2012. The decision to delay the "early-start" calendar will be formally announced today. During his State of State speech Monday, Gov. Jerry Brown urged lawmakers to put a series of tax extensions on the June ballot which, if approved by voters, would help avert massive cuts to education funding. Officials estimate that Los Angeles Unified could lose up to $400 million if voters do not approve the taxes. Because the June election would give district officials just two months to react to the outcome, officials decided to delay the launch of the new calendar. (more...)