Kids Head Back to School Today

Do you get all jittery reminiscing about the many first day of schools you had as a kid? That sense of excitement -- or dread -- is happening across Los Angeles today as thousands head back to school today, changing the summertime traffic patterns to worse. And if there was ever an interesting year, this should be it, thanks to the LA Times and its watchful eye on teacher performance. Add to that the upcoming retirement of LAUSD's Superintendent Ramon Cortines and criticism being swung at the $578 Million Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, which was the costliest school in the district's history. It also received an "F" in architecture.

Other themes will continue this year as well, mainly budget cuts. Many schools -- 54 to be exact -- this year returned to a traditional schedule with five fewer classroom days in the academic calendar. There are also 35 new schools on 17 different campuses. Good luck, students!