- Is there a special contract that teachers at Partnership Schools will sign?
- What are the benefits of teaching at a Partnership School?
- Is it safe to work at a Partnership School?
- How will I be supported?
- Is there an induction or orientation?
- What kinds of professional development will be offered?
- Will I be hired by the principal or by some other entity?
- Where can I find more information about LAUSD?
- Where can I find more information about the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and Partnership Schools?
- What is LAUSD iDivision? Are Partnership Schools part of iDivision?
- Are Partnership Schools charter schools?
- Has the Partnership model worked in the past?
- Does LAUSD have a residency requirement?
Is there a special contract that teachers at Partnership Schools will sign?
No. All teachers at Partnership Schools are employees of LAUSD and remain members of their unions and retain all rights to salary, pensions, healthcare and other benefits.
What are the benefits of teaching at a Partnership School?
Teach Partnership LA teachers will have input into creating the school’s vision and plan, developing its budget, hiring staff, and selecting curriculum. Additionally, Teach Partnership LA teachers will benefit from enhanced professional development opportunities chosen by the staff. As a Teach Partnership LA teacher, you can take the next step in your career while you give students new chances to succeed. Teach Partnership LA teachers will be part of a team of like-minded colleagues who share your goal of delivering the best education possible to all Los Angeles students.
Partnership Schools will also have additional benefits, including new supports and services, additional resources for programs that meet the needs of students and teachers, and increased connection to community resources.
Is it safe to work at a Partnership School?
Overall, we believe that our schools are safe. As in any situation, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. During the interview process, Teach Partnership LA teachers will have the opportunity to coordinate and speak with school staff on understanding their school’s security policies.
How will I be supported?
As a teacher in a Partnership school, you will be part of a team of like-minded colleagues who share your goal of delivering the best education possible to all Los Angeles students. Partnership Schools respect teachers as professionals, value their input into school changes, and will work to ensure those changes take place by providing links to professional tools and services to ensure all teachers are supported.
Is there an induction or orientation?
Teachers selected to join the staff of a Partnership school will have the opportunity to participate in an induction program designed especially for Partnership schools. Please continue to check this website as more information about this induction becomes available.
What kinds of professional development will be offered?
Partnership Schools will determine their own professional development needs. The Partnership will provide links to the support and services to deliver the professional development that the school community identifies.
Will I be hired by the principal or by some other entity?
Each Partnership School will have a hiring team that will make recommendations for hiring. This hiring committee will include a cross-section of the school community, including the principal, teachers, classified staff and parents.
Where can I find more information about LAUSD?
For general information regarding the Los Angeles Unified School District, visit: www.lausd.net.
Where can I find more information about the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and Partnership Schools?
For more information about the Partnership, please visit www.partnershipla.org.
For more information about Partnership Schools, click on the “About Our Schools” section to learn more about individual schools. Information is also available at http://notebook.lausd.net/schoolsearch/selector.jsp.
What is LAUSD’s iDivision? Are Partnership Schools part of iDivision?
In July 2007, Superintendent Brewer outlined 5 guiding principles aimed at improving student achievement in support of the Los Angeles Board of Education’s reform vision and the school district’s mission statement. Principle #3 established innovation as a core element of LAUSD’s transformation plan by calling on district officials to:
Improve the use of internally and externally derived innovations in order to drive a substantial and sustainable organizational change.
In order to realize this goal, the Superintendent has created the Innovation Division (iDivision) of the Los Angeles Unified School District as a separate office, reporting directly to the Superintendent of Schools. The iDivision will be accountable for contracts between LAUSD and Network Partners, who will oversee families of schools within the iDivision structure. Schools managed by Network Partners will report to their Network Partner not their local district. The iDivision does not directly oversee Network Partners, but rather helps to deliver district services to iDivision schools, maintain an accountability framework, and share best practices with the rest of LAUSD.
Yes, Partnership Schools are part of iDivision. The Partnership for LA Schools is one of the Network Partners which is contracting with iDivision to serve and support families of schools. The Partnership also will collaborate closely with LAUSD on this effort through iDivision to ensure that best practices learned from this collaboration are replicated throughout LAUSD.
Are Partnership Schools charter schools?
No. Partnership Schools are not charter schools. They are still a part of LAUSD. School staff (teachers, administrators, classified staff, etc.) in Partnership Schools will remain LAUSD employees and will still be represented by their collective bargaining agreements. Partnership Schools will, however, be granted flexibility similar to what many charter schools currently enjoy such as freedom from LAUSD policies and greater responsibility to manage their own budgets, design their school plans, and hire their own staff.
Has the Partnership model worked in the past?
The Partnership is a new initiative to improve schools in Los Angeles. However, the plan is based on extensive research and experience by experts in the field of education. Other cities around the country have adopted similar strategies with substantial success. For example, Chicago has adopted the Renaissance 2010 Schools program, with a goal of creating 100 new schools with autonomy and a 5-year contract with the district. Please click here for more information. New York has also developed Empowerment Schools, where school sites have greater autonomy in exchange for agreeing to take on great responsibility for producing results. Empowerment schools have different autonomy, goal setting processes, and support structures, but remain public schools that still provide services to all students (including English Language Learners and Special Education students).
Does LAUSD have a residency requirement?
No, LAUSD does not have a residency requirement.