Pasadena Unified School District Website
This is the main website for Pasadena Unified School District.

Structure of Education in the United States
This is makeup of our educational system.

Charter schools' impact to be discussed at Pasadena forum
Pasadena Unified School District has five charter schools within its boundaries: Odyssey, Aveson, Rosebud Academy, Celerity Exa and Learning Works.  (5/1/2013) Courtesy of the Pasadena Star News.

2012 API Scores:  More than half of California Schools now meeting state academic goals
California's schools have continued a decade of improvement on test scores, state officials announced Thursday, October 11th, 2012.  For the first time, more than half of the state's schools met or surpassed the target score for academic achievement on the Academic Performance Index, State Superintendent Tom Torlakson announced at a news conference in Sacramento.  Here is a link to the actual results.

California Teachers Assn. a powerful force in Sacramento
On August 18, 2012, the LA Times described the impact of the California Teachers Association (CTA). The CTA union, backed by an army of 325,000 teachers and a war chest as sizable as those of the major political parties, can make or break all sorts of deals in California. Their chief lobbyist, Joe Nuñezare is able to have a major role in the California Legislature by sitting in on major budget negotiations.

Database: Dropout rates at local schools, districts across California
See the most recent dropout rates in California. Courtesy of the Pasadena Star News.

Pasadena moves toward new district boundaries
More than 11,000 residents throughout the city could find themselves in another district, represented by a different council member, before the March and April 2013 elections. Courtesy of the Pasadena Star News.

Map: Pasadena new district boundaries
Interactive map.

California public school ranking: 2010 API scores released
API Scores for all California pubic schools were released on 5/5/2011.  Sierra Madre Elementary had the highest API score followed  by Hamilton Elementary. Courtesy of the Pasadena Star News.

Families face competition in private school race
February is peak season at the more than 50 private schools in the Pasadena area. Courtesy of the Pasadena Star News.

What about vouchers?
With a high school dropout rate hovering around 30 percent and a majority of college-bound graduates requiring remediation in English and math, the Golden State would appear to be a prime candidate for serious reform. But with a calcified state legislature, an impenetrable state education code, a sclerotic bureaucracy, a powerful state teachers’ union, and a governor who owes his 2010 election to union support, preservation of the status quo is almost a given.. Courtesy of City Journal.

Do We Need the Department of Education
At the time the Constitution was written, education was not even considered a function of local government, let alone the federal government. The Department of Education didn’t come into being until 1980. Have you noticed that no one talks about No Child Left Behind any more? The explanation is that its one-time advocates are no longer willing to defend it.  Courtesy of Imprimis Hillsdale College.