KCET Journal; Under New Management

KCET (Television station : Los Angeles, Calif.) · October 18, 1990

"Under New Management is about the political and personal maneuvering that takes places as the Los Angeles School Board, under pressure from the teachers? union, begins to relinquish its central control of the city's 650 public schools. It follows teachers, principals and parents as they try to come to grips with their new powers and responsibilities and to reach consensus about how to reform and revitalize a failing education system. "The program specifically profiles over time two schools as they struggle over issues of reform as well as a school in another district where major changes were put in place several years ago. By giving a behind-the-scenes look at the actual process of reform and by tackling a subject that is of considerable urgency given the low levels of academic achievement on the part of many American students, the program deserves Peabody consideration."--1990 Peabody Awards entry form. The program includes attempts to implement "School Based Management" in Los Angeles and highlights the conflicts between different groups during the restructuring of the school system. Footage is shown from Los Angele School Board meetings and meetings between students, parents, the school board, and the Teacher's Union as well as from some schools attempting the change, including Manual Arts High School, Hale Middle School, and Lincoln Middle School.