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Thursday, Oct 10, 2024

New LAUSD Chief Wants Businesses to Help

The new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District said he plans to involve Valley business owners in reforming the city’s troubled school system. David L. Brewer III, who was unanimously nominated by the school district board Thursday, said he wants local businesses to help pay for a wide range of educational programs he plans to develop to turn the district into “a world-class school system so our children can be the best.” “One of the things I’m going to need is money. And it’s not going to come from the state or the city,” he said. Later, he added: “We’re going to come to the business community and say we need funds to pay for these programs.” The comments from Brewer came as he opened the “Reaching For the Stars,” a regional job fair organized by the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley at the Beverly Garland Inn in North Hollywood. The speech and brief Q-and-A session was Brewer’s first appearance in the Valley since the surprise nomination, which initially drew criticism from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who was in the middle of a broad trade mission of Asia. Brewer, who lives in Virginia, has no experience in education but has had an management extensive background in the U.S. Navy, where he retired this year as vice admiral. On Tuesday, Brewer talked at length but offered few specifics about how he plans to reform the district, which includes more than 700,000 students in Los Angeles and several adjoining cities. He said the keys would be helping parents navigate the school system, providing mentors and preparing students to compete for jobs internationally. “You have to compete at the global level,” he said. “In the 21st Century, you can’t do the same things and expect the same results,” he added later. The Tuesday speech followed a round-the-clock series of community meetings with school leaders, community members and media outlets across the city Monday. Brewer on Tuesday denied that the saturation is because Villaraigosa is traveling overseas. The mayor’s office has indicated that Villaraigosa plans to meet with Brewer “as soon as he returns from his trade mission in Asia.” The morning speech also included an appearance by outgoing Superintendent Roy Romer, who will likely step down next month.

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