California delays hearing on whether to split Los Angeles school district

Proponents say a split would make schools more manageable; opponents say it would separate "haves" from the "have-nots."

April 24, 2001

The California Department of Education has postponed until September a public hearing on whether the San Fernando Valley's public schools should secede from the Los Angeles Unified School District. The delay came at the request of the union that represents the district's 43,000 teachers, counselors, psychologists and nurses. The hearing will be held Sept. 5 instead of June 7. The union, which opposes proposals to break up Los Angeles Unified, says it needs more time to prepare its arguments.

Earlier story: Could the Los Angeles Unified School District also be split? Next month, the California Department of Education plans to release its analysis of a school district breakup proposal that, according to supporters, would create two more manageable districts in the San Fernando Valley or, according to opponents, would divide the haves from the have-nots. The district now is the nation's second largest.