State Budget Stalemate Continues; Possible LAUSD Teacher Layoffs; The Transformation of LA Unified; Obama News Conference; Early Cancer Detection
State Budget Stalemate Continues
Democratic leaders in the California state Legislature sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger an $18 billion deficit-cutting package on Tuesday, which he quickly vetoed as anti-tax groups filed a lawsuit to stop it. This action was taken during the Legislature's third special session since the November election to deal with California's worsening budget deficit, projected at $42 billion over the next 18 months. With no resolution in sight, California's state controller warns that the state will be so short of cash it will have to start issuing IOUs in February to vendors and taxpayers expecting refunds. Larry and guests discuss the crisis.
Possible LAUSD Teacher Layoffs
In the face of a widening budget gap, Los Angeles Unified School District officials said yesterday that they could soon send nearly 3,000 nonpermanent teachers notices warning of imminent layoffs. Unlike permanent teachers, who must be notified in March if they will not have a job in the upcoming school year, nonpermanent teachers -- those who have worked for two years or fewer -- must be given only two weeks' notice. Larry speaks with UTLA President about the union's opposition to teacher layoffs.
The Transformation of LA Unified
Los Angeles County's public school system in the 1960's was radically differently than the system we have today. Since then many reforms have been made with varying degrees of success, but underneath it all, the School District's approach to education has changed fundamentally. The result has been decentralization, the introduction of standards and school choice, and grassroots participation. Larry Mantle talks co-authors of the new book Learning from L.A, who look at how these institutional changes came about. They also discuss how educators can learn from LA Unified's transformation to improve public education both inside, and outside, L.A.
Obama News Conference
Larry Mantle and guests talk about a variety of issues that were discussed in the news conference held this morning by the President-elect Barak Obama including his appointment of the first chief performance officer, the $1.2 trillion deficit projected for this year, and his economic stimulus package.
Early Cancer Detection
When cancer is detected early, survival rates are very high. Yet most research dollars target cancer in its later stages, when treatments are far less effective. In light of these facts, why isn't more attention paid to improving cancer detection? Larry Mantle about the issue with Wired magazine Deputy Editor Thomas Goetz, and with Don Listwin of the Canary Foundation. Listwin lost his mother to ovarian cancer and has devoted his time ever since to making early cancer screening a public health priority.